Gypsy Reidy

Dedicating a space

2011-11-11T14:23:00.000-08:00

I am not great at dutifully, well, writing. Which is kind of a ridiculous claim because now I teach writing, and take classes for which I write giant papers, and I'm a writer. But blogging is not natural to me. But it is good! Blogging is good. I'm going to try harder. Harder!

I live in Florida now, and I have some ideas. I started writing a lot about Romani writes issues on here, and I think it's fair to say that I have more than a passing interest in them. But I dropped it-- mostly because other life-stuff became quite pressing. But I would really like to dedicate this space to some kind of intelligent discourse about Romani people-- rights, stereotypes, customs... I'm really interested in how my people can be at once romanticized and demonized through the ages. I have a liminal position as a member of my community. I have been at once within and outside my own culture-- I stand on the threshold. My Romani grandmother fled from Germany after the war and had to keep her ethnicity a secret. I was raised with some customs and not with others. I've lived in Europe and America and seen extreme reactions to my ethnicity and my fellows'. I see problems, misrepresentations, and human rights infringements. I see mythology spinning out of control. For a long time I have wanted to say something but did not know what to say. So I will say this: I have one voice that comes from many places. Just like everyone else.

Nail polish: the gender wrecking ball

2011-04-15T11:48:00.000-07:00

Dangerously Cute

The Daily Mail tells me that celebrities such as Jennifer Lopez, Gwen Stefani, and Christina Aguilera don't mind indulging their sons' interest in manicures. When questioned by People, J-Lo apparently shrugged and said, "It's just paint." Too true.

It went on to mention a J Crew ad which has thrown some people into a pink and blue tizzy. This "controversial" ad shows Jenna Lyons, the chain's president and creative director, painting her son's toenails neon pink. And here is the shit-storm that followed:

But psychiatrist Dr Keith Ablow told Fox News: 'This is a dramatic example of the way that our culture is being encouraged to abandon all trappings of gender identity.

Media commentator Erin Brown of the Media Research Center also had strong views, calling it 'blatant propaganda celebrating transgendered children.

She wrote: 'Not only is Beckett likely to change his favorite color as early as tomorrow, Jenna's indulgence (or encouragement) could make life hard for the boy in the future.

'J Crew, known for its tasteful and modest clothing, apparently does not mind exploiting Beckett behind the facade of liberal, transgendered identity politics.'

Read more

Jo B Paoletti, author of Pink and Blue: Telling Boys from Girls in America, thankfully told Fox that everyone is overreacting.

How could nail polish have such dramatic effects on a person's psyche? Apparently it does a bit because this article is sitting in the "Femail" section. Its power is really that explosive to the other sex. As much as I hate to burst the crazy bubble, I must do it. Little lady-girls are not born with magenta fingernails that need to be maintained weekly, lest their little private bits morph into penises (which consequently shrivel with the threat of polish, the color pink, and voting for Hilary Clinton). These gender trappings are just that-- trappings. Things we've created. A whole bunch of nonsense that we like to label as Girl or Boy with indelible stamps. Just as my metaphor is just so much ink, nail polish is so much paint, and only that. It won't turn your boys into girls, or your girls into Kim Kardashian. It's just nail polish, made by us for whoever cares to use it.

I'm gonna get me a pair of Bossypants

2011-04-05T16:32:00.000-07:00

So I just finished Tina Fey's book Bossypants, and it made me want to writer her a love letter that would go something like this:

Dear Ms. Fey,

I think you're brilliant. Not only are you smart, lovely, unabashedly feminist, self confident, but you're so funny that I laugh uncontrollably in public while reading Bossypants, or remembering a 30 Rock scene, or one of your sketches on SNL, and everyone thinks I have some sort of undiagnosed but near debilitating social-awkwardness disorder. And that's awesome for me. You are my role model. You and Edna St. Vincent Millay and the fictional character Dixon Bainbridge from the Mighty Boosh have shaped my personal and professional aspirations to an enormous degree. I realized two important things while reading your book: 1. I feel completely and delightfully pleased with the fact that I am a writer, and I want to succeed. And 2. I need to laugh every day because it dramatically changes my mood, and because of this, I think that intelligent and socially-conscious comedy writers like you are doing wonderful, magical things for the world, and I deeply appreciate it.

Also, if you are genuinely seeking a stranger's advice about whether or not you want to have another child, here's mine: Do whatever feels right to you. And if what feels right is to not have any more kids, then don't worry. As an only girl child all grown up, I can report that I'm perfectly happy and well-adjusted. Sure there were times when I thought it might be nice to have a sister, but there were loads more times when I was grateful that it was just me.

I could go on and on about how great you are, and it would probably weird you out. So I'll just say, I love your work, I love your ethos, and I I think you're the business. "You are my heroine. And by heroine I mean 'lady-hero.' I don't want to inject you and listen to jazz."

Love,
Jess

In conclusion, I think y'all should buy and read Bossypants, and watch 30 Rock every week. It'll make you better.

Graduate Schools

2011-03-24T12:12:00.000-07:00

I am going psychotic waiting to hear back from the MFA programs I applied to for Poetry. April seems disproportionately far away. Just sayin'

AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!

Mike Tyson, Ellen, and Opposite Day

2011-03-09T19:19:00.000-08:00

Was anyone else confused that Mike Tyson was a guest on Ellen yesterday? The convicted rapist and wife beater was being praised and petted for his kindness by.... Ellen, the amicable and benevolent lady. Is it because he's vegan now? Maybe... but I'm vegan and I'm not on the show... not convinced. Is it because he treats pigeons better than people? Because I'm not sure that's not just a sign of mental illness. And if that weren't baffling enough, it aired on International Women's Day. That was genuinely the first time I ever thought, "What the hell, Ellen?" I decided to comfort myself and leave my adoration of Ellen intact by concluding that it probably wasn't her decision to have him on the show, it was probably some ABC-Animal Planet mating ritual, but even so, there's nothing worse than a fat cokehead.

America, wind, cracking bones, and other concepts

2011-03-07T19:51:00.000-08:00

L and I moved to America-- Ireland was beautiful, but coquettish, and we had to abandon her. I hear spring is hatching there now, but in NH it's still cold, cold, and snow. I forgot how the wind hurts. It occurred to me that I don't understand wind-- where does it come from, what gives it it's force? It seems bizarre that I don't understand all of my surroundings-- I bet that most people don't. I don't know why my body aches and my bones crack, but they do.

I had someone argue with me that because life is temporary, it's not real. I pointed out that the two are not mutually exclusive, and he looked as though he wanted to cry, or hit me, or both. I continued saying that if I were to hit him, I would be responsible for my actions, my hand would ache, his face would bruise, and that's real. He remained unconvinced, saying that in sleep we return to the timelessness of the spirit, and every day life is unreal. This, touched a nerve. "I've cried out in pain in my sleep," I growled, believing that this thinking could lead to heinous crimes against a person in the name of "unreality, timelessness, spirit." I was angry that someone could neglect the calls of a body, of any sentient thing, but I reconsidered. I think some people need to not participate in reality. They decide not to know about the pain, the wind, or anything because it's they feel it's less frightening to try to live above it in some barely forged ether of the unsettled mind. I don't mind-- although, I do find it a little terrifying.

I'd rather know why things happen, feel my body and know I am it and its animation. Moving country again is a scary visceral feeling. I don't have many connections, I'm not sure where I go next, I don't understand my friends' references, I say 'vitamins' in an Irish accent.... But I'd rather be present and accept my life as real. I don't know how else I'd enjoy it.

Los Angeles Review

2011-01-07T15:23:00.000-08:00

Heyy

"Hyssop in the Forest" came out in the Los Angeles Review a few months ago. Check it out! I haven't been able to read it yet because my contributors copy was sent to NH and I'm still in Ireland. But my parents tell me it's a great issue! My poem tells a family story-- it was really exciting to be able to write about some of the experiences that my Romani family had during the Holocaust.

Perhaps I will post again, soon. Let's see if I really do get better at keeping a blog!

Euro MPs slam French Roma policy

2010-09-09T11:37:00.000-07:00

European MPs criticise France's expulsions of Roma, as French ministers travel to Bucharest for talks with Romania.

France has been heavily criticised for forcing Roma community members to leave the country to Romania [Al Jazeera]

The European Parliament has passed a strongly worded resolution criticising France's controversial policy of forcing members of its Roma community to leave the country.

The non-binding resolution expressed "deep concern at the measure taken by France and other member states targeting Roma and Travellers," and urged the French government to "immediately suspend all expulsions of Roma".

But France reacted angrily to resolution, with Eric Besson, the immigration minister, who is in Bucharest for talks with Romanian authorities on the issue, describing it as a "political diktat" and refusing to comply with its demands.

"The European parliament has exceeded its prerogatives," Besson said, adding that it was "out of the question" for France to cease its Roma expulsions.

The issue has proven a major test for the European Union, which is based on the principle that Europeans can live and work in any member state they please.

France argues that the Roma are abusing this principle to immigrate and commit crimes, and has called on Romania to do more to integrate the Roma citizens that it deports.

"The truth is the Roma are not integrated in Romania," Pierre Lellouche, France's European Affairs minister said earlier on Thursday.

"France will call for commitments on police and judiciary cooperation, the fight against human trafficking and integration of Roma in Romania, as part of a national emergency plan spanning 2010-2013," Lellouche said before a meeting with Emil Boc, the Romanian Prime Minister.

But Romanian leaders are angry with the way France has handled the affair. Traian Basescu, the Romanian president has warned that the French minister's visit to his country will be useless if they have come to "lecture" Romania.

And the country's foreign minister, Teodor Baconschi, attacked France's expulsion policy in an opinion piece in Thursday's edition of the daily newspaper Evenimentul Zilei.

"Neither a security crackdown nor a paternalist form of welfare are the answer to Roma problems", he wrote."Only a European strategy will allow for a lasting response to the problems and legitimate expectations of this vast community."

France is seeking to deflect criticism for the expulsions by freeing up funding to help reintegrate the deported Roma when they arrive in their home country.

"We have a road map on Roma inclusion, we have made several proposals, but things are not progressing," Lellouche said.

Banconschi stressed Romania had already adopted a national plan for Roma integration and spent nearly 50 million euros since the beginning of the year on programmes meant to improve conditions for the community.

France has deported almost 8,000 Roma migrants to Bulgaria and Romania this year, drawing criticism of human rights groups, the Catholic church and domestic politicians.

Sarkozy's political opponents have denounced the crackdown as an effort to boost his crumbling popularity and deflect attention away from unpopular spending cuts.

Sarkozy and his ministers have defended their policy in the context of a crackdown on foreign-born criminals. But Bucharest has said that none of the Roma expelled had a criminal record.

In more international criticism of French policy, Thomas Hammarberg, Commissioner for Human Rights of the Council of Europe, compared France's rhetoric on the issue to that used by Nazi and fascist regimes.

While the remarks brought an angry reaction from France, Hammarberg stood by them on Thursday, insisting that he had not singled out the French government for criticism.

*Source: Aljazeera

Hiatus

2010-08-24T06:01:00.000-07:00

Hello, few readers,

I was on hiatus. I don't know. Blogging is strange. I guess I'm still not used to it! Although there have been a lot of things to blog about, especially Roma Rights issues and publications.

Actually, there is so much that this is really just a post to say that I'm still here.

I will mention right now though that I have a poem, "Hyssop in the Forest" coming out in the Los Angeles Review in October.

Also, the new issue of Moloch is out here so check me out! My poems "Heathcliffe" and "The Empty Fishpond of Baileard" appear. There are a lot of really WONDERFUL writers in there, some of which I had the pleasure to hear read at the Moloch launch at the Writer's Museum in Dublin on July 30th. I read too (first! ahhh!) and it was so much fun. What a great crowd; what a great city.

Er... also I deferred St Andrews. I think I may to returning to the States for a spell... if all goes well with immigration.

New Poems in Arsenic Lobster

2010-04-30T14:21:00.000-07:00

3 of my poems are in the new issue of Arsenic Lobster. Check it out here: http://arseniclobster.magere.com

Yay!

This is a formal request

2010-04-10T14:36:00.000-07:00

One generous benefactor required to financially support a studious poet and her musically inclined husband in all their endeavours: international, whimsical, scholarly, and otherwise.

It's amazing how I'm utterly unable to find funding for school despite all my best efforts. It's amazing how these past few years have been meandering and fraught with failures.

So, one generous benefactor, please.

Molotov attack on Romani family in Czech Republic

2010-03-16T04:31:00.000-07:00

I found this article here: http://www.romea.cz/english/index.php?id=detail&detail=2007_1552
I'm posting the whole thing instead of merely excerpts because I think the amount of information and detail is crucial-- unfortunately these attacks don't normally get so much coverage, even though they deserve it. Please take a moment to read the article below.

A Molotov cocktail was thrown into the home of a Romani family in the Bedřiška settlement in the city of Ostrava during the early hours of Sunday morning. No one was injured. Speaking at a press conference today, Tomáš Landsfeld, director of the Ostrava Police, said that so far there is no reason to believe extremists were behind the attack. The case is being investigated by a special 15-member team as one of reckless endangerment. An unidentified perpetrator threw the Molotov cocktail through the window of a bedroom in which a 14-year-old girl was sleeping.

"Unacceptable, shocking, insane – such events have no place in a normal society. I firmly believe this case will be successfully investigated,” commented Czech PM Jan Fischer.

"We are afraid. Mainly we fear for our children. We will be patrolling," Jiří Koller, whose house is immediately adjacent to the scene of the attack, told the Czech Press Agency.

The victimized family said a white car with tinted windows drove by just before the attack. "I heard that, but I don’t know anything more. They say it was impossible to see into the car," Koller said. Police have also begun investigating this information.

"An as-yet unidentified perpetrator threw it through the window pane - it did not explode,” said Radovan Vojta, chief detective in Ostrava. Since the bottle did not break on impact, the burning fluid did not spill or flare up. The wick was the only part on fire. "The occupants were lucky. Had the bottle broken, a fire would have started. The house would have caught fire very quickly and the blaze could have reached the neighboring family. As many as eight people were endangered,” Vojta said.

Ludmila Podraná, whose home it was, is also afraid. "Our 14-year-old daughter saved our lives. If she had not put it out in time, we would all have gone up in flames,” she told the Czech Press Agency with tears in her eyes, adding that she had immediately thought of the fate of little Natálka from Vítkov. Ludmila’s husband Dušan said they heard nothing during the attack. "Our daughter woke us up afterward. The bottle flew through the window over her bed. Shards of glass rained down on her. The bottle hit a table and then the floor, where the carpet started to burn. She threw a blanket down on it and put out the fire. Then we called the police,” he said.

Detectives are now waiting for the results of the expert examination; while they already have some initial results, they will have not definitive results until the end of the week. "What we can say is that this was a highly flammable chemical, a first-class combustible. For tactical reasons we do not want give more specifics,” Vojta said, adding that for the time being, according to the available information, there is no evidence that this was a racially motivated attack by right-wing extremists. "Nothing links this case to Vítkov - maybe just the fact that a Molotov cocktail was used. However, those have been used in other cases,” the police officer said.

"I must admit that despite all my experience with racially motivated attacks during the past 10 years, I am once again completely aghast both at the news of another arson attack in Ostrava-Bedřiška and even more aghast at the news that once again, a case of this sort has not been taken up by the homicide division at regional police level, but is being initially investigated by local, district-level detectives,” Markus Pape told news server Romea.cz.

Pape believes this approach unfortunately means the Czech Interior Ministry and Czech Police Presidium have still not yet learned anything from the Vítkov case and are continuing to minimize similar cases, which will only lead to other, similar crimes. "The main thing missing is a simple order by the police president that every arson attack on a residence should be immediately classified as attempted murder. That would make it possible to employ the necessary top-level staff, technicians and methods to successfully hunt down the perpetrators. It is simply unacceptable that someone has to suffer burn injuries before the police adequately respond,” Pape said.

Pape believes that unless such an order is issued, such crimes will have more and more tragic results and certain people will have even more of a feeling that there is no place for them in the state. "This republic is slowly but surely gaining a reputation abroad as Molotov cocktail country,” Pape told Romea.cz.

Other residents of the Bedřiška settlement, which is not solely Roma-occupied, were also frightened by the attack. "We are concerned, mainly for our children. We are going to stand watch here ourselves. We will take turns being on the telephone. If something happens, we will call the police,” resident Koller told the Czech Press Agency. However, police want to dissuade the Roma from forming their own militia. "That is not necessary. We have no information that another attack might occur. We have increased our patrol services in the locality,” police director Landsfeld said. He said police have also contacted social workers and activists from non-profit organizations who should be active on the scene in order to dissuade people from establishing a militia.

Kumar Vishwanathan, chair of the Life Together civic association, who has devoted himself to working with the Roma minority for many years, intends to participate in that effort. "There is no reason to take any desperate steps like starting militias, etc. We want to calm the situation so the police can do their work, because they proved themselves capable of it in the Vítkov case, thanks to which they also have the very strong trust of the people,” Vishwanathan said.

The Bedřiška settlement, the site of several wooden single-family homes, became the topic of intensive discussion five years ago. Then-Mayor Liana Janáčková and Vice-Mayor Jiří Jezerský made controversial statements about the Romani inhabitants of Bedřiška. "Give me a gun license and permission to shoot and I’ll go do it,” Jizerský said. Janáčková identified herself as a racist and spoke of “Gypsies breeding” and the use of dynamite or a high electric fence.

The comments were captured on a recording made during a meeting of the neighborhood housing department at which long-term residents of the settlement complained about the behavior of the Roma. Jezerský was even brought before the Ostrava District Court in connection with his remarks. The court acquitted him, saying he allegedly had not committed a crime. Janáčková was never prosecuted because the Czech Senate refused to strip her of immunity.

According to the Czech Labor Ministry, there are 10 similar ghettos in Ostrava predominantly occupied by Roma. As many as 6 600 people may be living in these areas. Most of the Roma were intentionally relocated to these areas in recent years. The majority of the adults in these areas are out of work; in some places, unemployment is 100 %. These families are dependent on welfare benefits. Usually residents of these areas have achieved only an elementary school education at the most. Loan-sharking thrives in many of the Ostrava localities, as do drug dealing, drug dependency, and shoplifting.

Last April arsonists attacked the home of a Romani family in Vítkov. Investigators found three Molotov cocktails had been thrown into the home. Three people were injured in the subsequent blaze. The most seriously injured was little Natálka, who was not yet two years old. She suffered extensive second and third-degree burns over 80 % of her body.

The trial of the four right-wing extremists from the Bruntál and Opava districts accused of the Vítkov arson will begin at the Regional Court in Ostrava on 11 May. The main hearing will involve extraordinary security measures. The men are accused of racially motivated attempted murder against more than one victim, including one child. They face up to 15 years in prison, but exceptional sentencing, including life sentencing, is also a possibility.

Selected cases of arson attacks on Romani family residences

11 July 1994 – In the Zelené údolí neighborhood of Jablonec nad Nisou, a small group of skinheads threw Molotov cocktails into an apartment occupied by a Romani family. A 12-year-old girl and her mother suffered severe burns during the attack. The others present escaped without injury.

4 February 1996 – In Krnov (Bruntál district) four youths, evidently skinheads, threw Molotov cocktails through the windows of two ground-floor apartments. One of the dwellings caught fire; it was not put out until firefighters responded. A second attack took place there on 16 February, when a different group of two new attackers attempted to set another house on fire. Six youths were charged with these racially motivated arsons (police investigated them as individuals). In 2002, the court gave four of the men suspended sentences; a fifth man, the oldest of them, was sentenced to three years in prison.

17 January 1998 – A group of assailants threw a Molotov cocktail into the ground-floor apartment of a five-member Romani family in Krnov (Bruntál district) in the early morning hours of 17 January. A 48-year-old woman suffered severe second and third-degree burns and a man suffered light injuries. The fire destroyed all of the fixtures in the apartment. One hour after this attack, an unidentified assailant set a personal vehicle owned by a Romani man on fire elsewhere in Krnov. Police charged three local youths with the first attack. In February 2002 the District Court in Krnov sentenced Radek Bedrim, a member of several neo-Nazi groups, to two years in prison without parole. The court acquitted his two accomplices for lack of evidence.

28 February 1998 – Another nighttime attack in Krnov; hooligans threw another Molotov cocktail through the window of a ground-floor apartment occupied by Roma. No one was injured.

19 October 1998 – At 2 AM, an unidentified perpetrator threw a Molotov cocktail into the flat of a four-member Romani family on Foerstrova street in the Mariánské Hory neighborhood of Ostrava. Residents managed to put out the fire and there were no injuries.

12 June 1999 – An unidentified arsonist set fire to a Roma dwelling in Plavy (Jablonec district) by throwing two Molotov cocktails through a closed window. A 22-year-old woman was sleeping in the room with her two-month-old son and two other children aged two and three when the curtains and valance caught fire.

14 July 2000 – A Romani family in Rokycany reported two skinheads attacked their single-family home with a Molotov cocktail in the evening. The bottle filled with gasoline hit the window frame and landed outside the house. No damage was caused to the targeted room in which three children were sleeping.

24 July 2002 – Unidentified arsonists threw two Molotov cocktails into a Roma-occupied home in the Hranice neighborhood of Karviná at around 23:00. One hit the front wall of the house and the parapet of the kitchen window while the second flew through an open window. Residents put out the fire. No one was injured.

30 June 2007 – Unidentified arsonists threw a Molotov cocktail into the home of a Romani family in Vrbno pod Pradědem at around 23:00. Five people were in the house, two adults and three children. No one was injured.

21 September 2008 – Kitchen fixtures were set on fire after someone threw a Molotov cocktail into the ground-floor apartment of a Romani family in Bruntál. Five people were sleeping there at the time, no one was injured.

19. April 2009 – Arsonists attacked the single-family home of a Romani family in Vítkov (Opava district). Police say three Molotov cocktails were thrown into the house. Three people were injured during the subsequent blaze. The most serious injuries were suffered by a girl who was not quite two years old and sustained second and third-degree burns over 80 % of her body. Four right-wing extremists from Bruntál and Opava districts have been charged with racially motivated attempted murder. Their trial is to begin in May.

24 May 2009 - In Zdiby u Prahy, arsonists attacked a Romani family, throwing two Molotov cocktails into their home. Nothing happened to the family members, who succeeded in putting the fire out in time.

24 September 2009 – The Prima television station reported that attackers threw a Molotov cocktail at a Roma-occupied home in Mikulov, South Moravia. No one was injured. The time of the attack was not reported.

15 March 2010 – In the early morning hours of 14 March, someone threw a Molotov cocktail into the home of a Romani family in the Bedřiška settlement in Ostrava. Residents succeeded in putting out the fire and no one was injured. A special police team is investigating the case as one of reckless endangerment.

ryz, Czech Press Agency, translated by Gwendolyn Albert
ROMEA

A Molotov cocktail was thrown into the home of a Romani family in the Bedřiška settlement in the city of Ostrava during the early hours of Sunday morning. No one was injured. Speaking at a press conference today, Tomáš Landsfeld, director of the Ostrava Police, said that so far there is no reason to believe extremists were behind the attack. The case is being investigated by a special 15-member team as one of reckless endangerment. An unidentified perpetrator threw the Molotov cocktail through the window of a bedroom in which a 14-year-old girl was sleeping.

"Unacceptable, shocking, insane – such events have no place in a normal society. I firmly believe this case will be successfully investigated,” commented Czech PM Jan Fischer.

"We are afraid. Mainly we fear for our children. We will be patrolling," Jiří Koller, whose house is immediately adjacent to the scene of the attack, told the Czech Press Agency.

The victimized family said a white car with tinted windows drove by just before the attack. "I heard that, but I don’t know anything more. They say it was impossible to see into the car," Koller said. Police have also begun investigating this information.

"An as-yet unidentified perpetrator threw it through the window pane - it did not explode,” said Radovan Vojta, chief detective in Ostrava. Since the bottle did not break on impact, the burning fluid did not spill or flare up. The wick was the only part on fire. "The occupants were lucky. Had the bottle broken, a fire would have started. The house would have caught fire very quickly and the blaze could have reached the neighboring family. As many as eight people were endangered,” Vojta said.

Ludmila Podraná, whose home it was, is also afraid. "Our 14-year-old daughter saved our lives. If she had not put it out in time, we would all have gone up in flames,” she told the Czech Press Agency with tears in her eyes, adding that she had immediately thought of the fate of little Natálka from Vítkov. Ludmila’s husband Dušan said they heard nothing during the attack. "Our daughter woke us up afterward. The bottle flew through the window over her bed. Shards of glass rained down on her. The bottle hit a table and then the floor, where the carpet started to burn. She threw a blanket down on it and put out the fire. Then we called the police,” he said.

Detectives are now waiting for the results of the expert examination; while they already have some initial results, they will have not definitive results until the end of the week. "What we can say is that this was a highly flammable chemical, a first-class combustible. For tactical reasons we do not want give more specifics,” Vojta said, adding that for the time being, according to the available information, there is no evidence that this was a racially motivated attack by right-wing extremists. "Nothing links this case to Vítkov - maybe just the fact that a Molotov cocktail was used. However, those have been used in other cases,” the police officer said.

"I must admit that despite all my experience with racially motivated attacks during the past 10 years, I am once again completely aghast both at the news of another arson attack in Ostrava-Bedřiška and even more aghast at the news that once again, a case of this sort has not been taken up by the homicide division at regional police level, but is being initially investigated by local, district-level detectives,” Markus Pape told news server Romea.cz.

Pape believes this approach unfortunately means the Czech Interior Ministry and Czech Police Presidium have still not yet learned anything from the Vítkov case and are continuing to minimize similar cases, which will only lead to other, similar crimes. "The main thing missing is a simple order by the police president that every arson attack on a residence should be immediately classified as attempted murder. That would make it possible to employ the necessary top-level staff, technicians and methods to successfully hunt down the perpetrators. It is simply unacceptable that someone has to suffer burn injuries before the police adequately respond,” Pape said.

Pape believes that unless such an order is issued, such crimes will have more and more tragic results and certain people will have even more of a feeling that there is no place for them in the state. "This republic is slowly but surely gaining a reputation abroad as Molotov cocktail country,” Pape told Romea.cz.

Other residents of the Bedřiška settlement, which is not solely Roma-occupied, were also frightened by the attack. "We are concerned, mainly for our children. We are going to stand watch here ourselves. We will take turns being on the telephone. If something happens, we will call the police,” resident Koller told the Czech Press Agency. However, police want to dissuade the Roma from forming their own militia. "That is not necessary. We have no information that another attack might occur. We have increased our patrol services in the locality,” police director Landsfeld said. He said police have also contacted social workers and activists from non-profit organizations who should be active on the scene in order to dissuade people from establishing a militia.

Kumar Vishwanathan, chair of the Life Together civic association, who has devoted himself to working with the Roma minority for many years, intends to participate in that effort. "There is no reason to take any desperate steps like starting militias, etc. We want to calm the situation so the police can do their work, because they proved themselves capable of it in the Vítkov case, thanks to which they also have the very strong trust of the people,” Vishwanathan said.

The Bedřiška settlement, the site of several wooden single-family homes, became the topic of intensive discussion five years ago. Then-Mayor Liana Janáčková and Vice-Mayor Jiří Jezerský made controversial statements about the Romani inhabitants of Bedřiška. "Give me a gun license and permission to shoot and I’ll go do it,” Jizerský said. Janáčková identified herself as a racist and spoke of “Gypsies breeding” and the use of dynamite or a high electric fence.

The comments were captured on a recording made during a meeting of the neighborhood housing department at which long-term residents of the settlement complained about the behavior of the Roma. Jezerský was even brought before the Ostrava District Court in connection with his remarks. The court acquitted him, saying he allegedly had not committed a crime. Janáčková was never prosecuted because the Czech Senate refused to strip her of immunity.

According to the Czech Labor Ministry, there are 10 similar ghettos in Ostrava predominantly occupied by Roma. As many as 6 600 people may be living in these areas. Most of the Roma were intentionally relocated to these areas in recent years. The majority of the adults in these areas are out of work; in some places, unemployment is 100 %. These families are dependent on welfare benefits. Usually residents of these areas have achieved only an elementary school education at the most. Loan-sharking thrives in many of the Ostrava localities, as do drug dealing, drug dependency, and shoplifting.

Last April arsonists attacked the home of a Romani family in Vítkov. Investigators found three Molotov cocktails had been thrown into the home. Three people were injured in the subsequent blaze. The most seriously injured was little Natálka, who was not yet two years old. She suffered extensive second and third-degree burns over 80 % of her body.

The trial of the four right-wing extremists from the Bruntál and Opava districts accused of the Vítkov arson will begin at the Regional Court in Ostrava on 11 May. The main hearing will involve extraordinary security measures. The men are accused of racially motivated attempted murder against more than one victim, including one child. They face up to 15 years in prison, but exceptional sentencing, including life sentencing, is also a possibility.

Selected cases of arson attacks on Romani family residences

11 July 1994 – In the Zelené údolí neighborhood of Jablonec nad Nisou, a small group of skinheads threw Molotov cocktails into an apartment occupied by a Romani family. A 12-year-old girl and her mother suffered severe burns during the attack. The others present escaped without injury.

4 February 1996 – In Krnov (Bruntál district) four youths, evidently skinheads, threw Molotov cocktails through the windows of two ground-floor apartments. One of the dwellings caught fire; it was not put out until firefighters responded. A second attack took place there on 16 February, when a different group of two new attackers attempted to set another house on fire. Six youths were charged with these racially motivated arsons (police investigated them as individuals). In 2002, the court gave four of the men suspended sentences; a fifth man, the oldest of them, was sentenced to three years in prison.

17 January 1998 – A group of assailants threw a Molotov cocktail into the ground-floor apartment of a five-member Romani family in Krnov (Bruntál district) in the early morning hours of 17 January. A 48-year-old woman suffered severe second and third-degree burns and a man suffered light injuries. The fire destroyed all of the fixtures in the apartment. One hour after this attack, an unidentified assailant set a personal vehicle owned by a Romani man on fire elsewhere in Krnov. Police charged three local youths with the first attack. In February 2002 the District Court in Krnov sentenced Radek Bedrim, a member of several neo-Nazi groups, to two years in prison without parole. The court acquitted his two accomplices for lack of evidence.

28 February 1998 – Another nighttime attack in Krnov; hooligans threw another Molotov cocktail through the window of a ground-floor apartment occupied by Roma. No one was injured.

19 October 1998 – At 2 AM, an unidentified perpetrator threw a Molotov cocktail into the flat of a four-member Romani family on Foerstrova street in the Mariánské Hory neighborhood of Ostrava. Residents managed to put out the fire and there were no injuries.

12 June 1999 – An unidentified arsonist set fire to a Roma dwelling in Plavy (Jablonec district) by throwing two Molotov cocktails through a closed window. A 22-year-old woman was sleeping in the room with her two-month-old son and two other children aged two and three when the curtains and valance caught fire.

14 July 2000 – A Romani family in Rokycany reported two skinheads attacked their single-family home with a Molotov cocktail in the evening. The bottle filled with gasoline hit the window frame and landed outside the house. No damage was caused to the targeted room in which three children were sleeping.

24 July 2002 – Unidentified arsonists threw two Molotov cocktails into a Roma-occupied home in the Hranice neighborhood of Karviná at around 23:00. One hit the front wall of the house and the parapet of the kitchen window while the second flew through an open window. Residents put out the fire. No one was injured.

30 June 2007 – Unidentified arsonists threw a Molotov cocktail into the home of a Romani family in Vrbno pod Pradědem at around 23:00. Five people were in the house, two adults and three children. No one was injured.

21 September 2008 – Kitchen fixtures were set on fire after someone threw a Molotov cocktail into the ground-floor apartment of a Romani family in Bruntál. Five people were sleeping there at the time, no one was injured.

19. April 2009 – Arsonists attacked the single-family home of a Romani family in Vítkov (Opava district). Police say three Molotov cocktails were thrown into the house. Three people were injured during the subsequent blaze. The most serious injuries were suffered by a girl who was not quite two years old and sustained second and third-degree burns over 80 % of her body. Four right-wing extremists from Bruntál and Opava districts have been charged with racially motivated attempted murder. Their trial is to begin in May.

24 May 2009 - In Zdiby u Prahy, arsonists attacked a Romani family, throwing two Molotov cocktails into their home. Nothing happened to the family members, who succeeded in putting the fire out in time.

24 September 2009 – The Prima television station reported that attackers threw a Molotov cocktail at a Roma-occupied home in Mikulov, South Moravia. No one was injured. The time of the attack was not reported.

15 March 2010 – In the early morning hours of 14 March, someone threw a Molotov cocktail into the home of a Romani family in the Bedřiška settlement in Ostrava. Residents succeeded in putting out the fire and no one was injured. A special police team is investigating the case as one of reckless endangerment.

ryz, Czech Press Agency, translated by Gwendolyn Albert
ROMEA

A Molotov cocktail was thrown into the home of a Romani family in the Bedřiška settlement in the city of Ostrava during the early hours of Sunday morning. No one was injured. Speaking at a press conference today, Tomáš Landsfeld, director of the Ostrava Police, said that so far there is no reason to believe extremists were behind the attack. The case is being investigated by a special 15-member team as one of reckless endangerment. An unidentified perpetrator threw the Molotov cocktail through the window of a bedroom in which a 14-year-old girl was sleeping.

"Unacceptable, shocking, insane – such events have no place in a normal society. I firmly believe this case will be successfully investigated,” commented Czech PM Jan Fischer.

"We are afraid. Mainly we fear for our children. We will be patrolling," Jiří Koller, whose house is immediately adjacent to the scene of the attack, told the Czech Press Agency.

The victimized family said a white car with tinted windows drove by just before the attack. "I heard that, but I don’t know anything more. They say it was impossible to see into the car," Koller said. Police have also begun investigating this information.

"An as-yet unidentified perpetrator threw it through the window pane - it did not explode,” said Radovan Vojta, chief detective in Ostrava. Since the bottle did not break on impact, the burning fluid did not spill or flare up. The wick was the only part on fire. "The occupants were lucky. Had the bottle broken, a fire would have started. The house would have caught fire very quickly and the blaze could have reached the neighboring family. As many as eight people were endangered,” Vojta said.

Ludmila Podraná, whose home it was, is also afraid. "Our 14-year-old daughter saved our lives. If she had not put it out in time, we would all have gone up in flames,” she told the Czech Press Agency with tears in her eyes, adding that she had immediately thought of the fate of little Natálka from Vítkov. Ludmila’s husband Dušan said they heard nothing during the attack. "Our daughter woke us up afterward. The bottle flew through the window over her bed. Shards of glass rained down on her. The bottle hit a table and then the floor, where the carpet started to burn. She threw a blanket down on it and put out the fire. Then we called the police,” he said.

Detectives are now waiting for the results of the expert examination; while they already have some initial results, they will have not definitive results until the end of the week. "What we can say is that this was a highly flammable chemical, a first-class combustible. For tactical reasons we do not want give more specifics,” Vojta said, adding that for the time being, according to the available information, there is no evidence that this was a racially motivated attack by right-wing extremists. "Nothing links this case to Vítkov - maybe just the fact that a Molotov cocktail was used. However, those have been used in other cases,” the police officer said.

"I must admit that despite all my experience with racially motivated attacks during the past 10 years, I am once again completely aghast both at the news of another arson attack in Ostrava-Bedřiška and even more aghast at the news that once again, a case of this sort has not been taken up by the homicide division at regional police level, but is being initially investigated by local, district-level detectives,” Markus Pape told news server Romea.cz.

Pape believes this approach unfortunately means the Czech Interior Ministry and Czech Police Presidium have still not yet learned anything from the Vítkov case and are continuing to minimize similar cases, which will only lead to other, similar crimes. "The main thing missing is a simple order by the police president that every arson attack on a residence should be immediately classified as attempted murder. That would make it possible to employ the necessary top-level staff, technicians and methods to successfully hunt down the perpetrators. It is simply unacceptable that someone has to suffer burn injuries before the police adequately respond,” Pape said.

Pape believes that unless such an order is issued, such crimes will have more and more tragic results and certain people will have even more of a feeling that there is no place for them in the state. "This republic is slowly but surely gaining a reputation abroad as Molotov cocktail country,” Pape told Romea.cz.

Other residents of the Bedřiška settlement, which is not solely Roma-occupied, were also frightened by the attack. "We are concerned, mainly for our children. We are going to stand watch here ourselves. We will take turns being on the telephone. If something happens, we will call the police,” resident Koller told the Czech Press Agency. However, police want to dissuade the Roma from forming their own militia. "That is not necessary. We have no information that another attack might occur. We have increased our patrol services in the locality,” police director Landsfeld said. He said police have also contacted social workers and activists from non-profit organizations who should be active on the scene in order to dissuade people from establishing a militia.

Kumar Vishwanathan, chair of the Life Together civic association, who has devoted himself to working with the Roma minority for many years, intends to participate in that effort. "There is no reason to take any desperate steps like starting militias, etc. We want to calm the situation so the police can do their work, because they proved themselves capable of it in the Vítkov case, thanks to which they also have the very strong trust of the people,” Vishwanathan said.

The Bedřiška settlement, the site of several wooden single-family homes, became the topic of intensive discussion five years ago. Then-Mayor Liana Janáčková and Vice-Mayor Jiří Jezerský made controversial statements about the Romani inhabitants of Bedřiška. "Give me a gun license and permission to shoot and I’ll go do it,” Jizerský said. Janáčková identified herself as a racist and spoke of “Gypsies breeding” and the use of dynamite or a high electric fence.

The comments were captured on a recording made during a meeting of the neighborhood housing department at which long-term residents of the settlement complained about the behavior of the Roma. Jezerský was even brought before the Ostrava District Court in connection with his remarks. The court acquitted him, saying he allegedly had not committed a crime. Janáčková was never prosecuted because the Czech Senate refused to strip her of immunity.

According to the Czech Labor Ministry, there are 10 similar ghettos in Ostrava predominantly occupied by Roma. As many as 6 600 people may be living in these areas. Most of the Roma were intentionally relocated to these areas in recent years. The majority of the adults in these areas are out of work; in some places, unemployment is 100 %. These families are dependent on welfare benefits. Usually residents of these areas have achieved only an elementary school education at the most. Loan-sharking thrives in many of the Ostrava localities, as do drug dealing, drug dependency, and shoplifting.

Last April arsonists attacked the home of a Romani family in Vítkov. Investigators found three Molotov cocktails had been thrown into the home. Three people were injured in the subsequent blaze. The most seriously injured was little Natálka, who was not yet two years old. She suffered extensive second and third-degree burns over 80 % of her body.

The trial of the four right-wing extremists from the Bruntál and Opava districts accused of the Vítkov arson will begin at the Regional Court in Ostrava on 11 May. The main hearing will involve extraordinary security measures. The men are accused of racially motivated attempted murder against more than one victim, including one child. They face up to 15 years in prison, but exceptional sentencing, including life sentencing, is also a possibility.

Selected cases of arson attacks on Romani family residences

11 July 1994 – In the Zelené údolí neighborhood of Jablonec nad Nisou, a small group of skinheads threw Molotov cocktails into an apartment occupied by a Romani family. A 12-year-old girl and her mother suffered severe burns during the attack. The others present escaped without injury.

4 February 1996 – In Krnov (Bruntál district) four youths, evidently skinheads, threw Molotov cocktails through the windows of two ground-floor apartments. One of the dwellings caught fire; it was not put out until firefighters responded. A second attack took place there on 16 February, when a different group of two new attackers attempted to set another house on fire. Six youths were charged with these racially motivated arsons (police investigated them as individuals). In 2002, the court gave four of the men suspended sentences; a fifth man, the oldest of them, was sentenced to three years in prison.

17 January 1998 – A group of assailants threw a Molotov cocktail into the ground-floor apartment of a five-member Romani family in Krnov (Bruntál district) in the early morning hours of 17 January. A 48-year-old woman suffered severe second and third-degree burns and a man suffered light injuries. The fire destroyed all of the fixtures in the apartment. One hour after this attack, an unidentified assailant set a personal vehicle owned by a Romani man on fire elsewhere in Krnov. Police charged three local youths with the first attack. In February 2002 the District Court in Krnov sentenced Radek Bedrim, a member of several neo-Nazi groups, to two years in prison without parole. The court acquitted his two accomplices for lack of evidence.

28 February 1998 – Another nighttime attack in Krnov; hooligans threw another Molotov cocktail through the window of a ground-floor apartment occupied by Roma. No one was injured.

19 October 1998 – At 2 AM, an unidentified perpetrator threw a Molotov cocktail into the flat of a four-member Romani family on Foerstrova street in the Mariánské Hory neighborhood of Ostrava. Residents managed to put out the fire and there were no injuries.

12 June 1999 – An unidentified arsonist set fire to a Roma dwelling in Plavy (Jablonec district) by throwing two Molotov cocktails through a closed window. A 22-year-old woman was sleeping in the room with her two-month-old son and two other children aged two and three when the curtains and valance caught fire.

14 July 2000 – A Romani family in Rokycany reported two skinheads attacked their single-family home with a Molotov cocktail in the evening. The bottle filled with gasoline hit the window frame and landed outside the house. No damage was caused to the targeted room in which three children were sleeping.

24 July 2002 – Unidentified arsonists threw two Molotov cocktails into a Roma-occupied home in the Hranice neighborhood of Karviná at around 23:00. One hit the front wall of the house and the parapet of the kitchen window while the second flew through an open window. Residents put out the fire. No one was injured.

30 June 2007 – Unidentified arsonists threw a Molotov cocktail into the home of a Romani family in Vrbno pod Pradědem at around 23:00. Five people were in the house, two adults and three children. No one was injured.

21 September 2008 – Kitchen fixtures were set on fire after someone threw a Molotov cocktail into the ground-floor apartment of a Romani family in Bruntál. Five people were sleeping there at the time, no one was injured.

19. April 2009 – Arsonists attacked the single-family home of a Romani family in Vítkov (Opava district). Police say three Molotov cocktails were thrown into the house. Three people were injured during the subsequent blaze. The most serious injuries were suffered by a girl who was not quite two years old and sustained second and third-degree burns over 80 % of her body. Four right-wing extremists from Bruntál and Opava districts have been charged with racially motivated attempted murder. Their trial is to begin in May.

24 May 2009 - In Zdiby u Prahy, arsonists attacked a Romani family, throwing two Molotov cocktails into their home. Nothing happened to the family members, who succeeded in putting the fire out in time.

24 September 2009 – The Prima television station reported that attackers threw a Molotov cocktail at a Roma-occupied home in Mikulov, South Moravia. No one was injured. The time of the attack was not reported.

15 March 2010 – In the early morning hours of 14 March, someone threw a Molotov cocktail into the home of a Romani family in the Bedřiška settlement in Ostrava. Residents succeeded in putting out the fire and no one was injured. A special police team is investigating the case as one of reckless endangerment.

ryz, Czech Press Agency, translated by Gwendolyn Albert
ROMEA

USA voices concern about Antiziganism in Romania

2010-03-16T04:02:00.000-07:00

USA has expressed “major concern” regarding discrimination against Roma in Romania.

In its annual “Human Rights Report” about Romania issued recently, US Department of State says: “Roma faced persistent poverty and had poor access to government services, few employment opportunities, high rates of school attrition, inadequate health care, and pervasive discrimination.”

The US report talks about police brutality, pervasive societal discrimination, anti-Roma slogans and banners, destruction of houses and cars and setting a house on fire in Roma community in Sanmartin and Roma taking refuge in woods, setting fire to several stables belonging to Roma in Sancraieni, anti-Roma messages on a politician’s blog, denial of access or refusal of service to Roma in many public places including bars/clubs, repeated refusal of a doctor in Vartop village to treat Roma patients, likelihood of ethnic Roma to live below the poverty line five times as compared to majority population, large exclusion from administrative and legal system, 4.9 percent of Roma lacking birth certificate, lack of identity cards excluding many Roma from various programs, inadequate and ineffective government assistance to the Roma, etc.

Report also refers to non-completion of high school by 95 per cent Roma; 23 percent illiteracy among Roma; discrimination by teachers and other students against Romani students; reports of Romani children being placed in the back of classrooms and of teachers ignoring Romani students and of unimpeded bullying of Romani students by other schoolchildren; placing of Romani students in separate classrooms from other students or in separate schools; school segregation cases in Albeni, Corabia, Cugir, and Polovraci; refusal by a kindergarten teacher in Magheru to enrol the twins of a Romani woman for several years; etc.

It also mentions a report which said that approximately 60 percent of Roma lived segregated from the majority population in communities with substandard housing and without basic governmental services, such as schools, adequate health care, running water, electricity, and waste disposal. “Stereotypes and use of discriminatory language against Roma were widespread; journalists and even high ranking officials frequently made discriminatory statements”, it adds.

The Romani population was estimated at between 1.8 and 2.5 million in Romania by this report.

*Article provided by Rajan Zed. The version on this blog is edited, by me, for brevity and clarity.

Antiziganism

2010-03-16T03:53:00.000-07:00

I found the following post on the Amnesty International USA blog. I think it is a really helpful guide for anyone who wants to better understand the Roma plight. It was first posted in 2009, but it is still extremely relevant. Also, I think it is important to name a problem, for practical reasons (like, talking about it!) and for psychological reasons. To name a problem is to identify it, which is the first step to solving it. Antiziganism is a word that means hostility and prejudice directed toward the Romani people. You can find the original post here: http://blog.amnestyusa.org/tag/roma/

Perhaps the most oppressed people in history, Roma – commonly referred to as Gypsies – have been persecuted since they arrived in Europe in 1300 C.E.

The New York Times reports that institutionalized and societal prejudice against Roma is enflaming violence in Europe:

[...]

Prejudice against Roma — widely known as Gypsies and long among Europe’s most oppressed minority groups — has swelled into a wave of violence. Over the past year, at least seven Roma have been killed in Hungary, and Roma leaders have counted some 30 Molotov cocktail attacks against Roma homes, often accompanied by sprays of gunfire.

[...]

In addition to Mr. Koka’s death, there were the slayings of a Roma man and woman, who were shot after their house was set ablaze last November in Nagycsecs, a town about an hour’s drive from Tiszalok in northeastern Hungary. And in February, a Roma man and his 4-year-old son were gunned down as they tried to escape from their home, which was set on fire in Tatarszentgyorgy, a small town south of Budapest.

[...]

Experts on Roma issues describe an ever more aggressive atmosphere toward Roma in Hungary and elsewhere in Central and Eastern Europe, led by extreme right-wing parties, whose leaders are playing on old stereotypes of Roma as petty criminals and drains on social welfare systems at a time of rising economic and political turmoil. As unemployment rises, officials and Roma experts fear the attacks will only intensify.

[...]

Persecution against Roma, as detailed in just one Amnesty International press release from yesterday, is nothing new. Neither is the unwillingness of authorities to stop the oppression. In the Czech republic, for instance:

[...]

Roma… continue to suffer discrimination at the hands of both public officials and private individuals, including in the areas of housing, education, health care and employment.

Not only do they face forced evictions, segregation in education and racially motivated violence, but they have been denied justice when seeking redress for the abuses against them.

[...]

The history of Roma persecution goes back hundreds of years ago. Throughout 16-18th century, Roma were hanged without trial in Europe. In 1921, nonetheless, Czechoslovakia shortly recognized Roma as “nationality.” In 1933, Hitler ordered sterilization of Roma. Later, up to half a million Roma were killed in the Holocaust. In just one act, 4,000 Roma were gassed and cremated in Auschwitz on August 2, 1944. Unlike the Jewish victims, Roma victims of the Holocaust are rarely researched or commemorated.

With some activism in Eastern Europe in the 1990s, Roma still face institutional and social discrimination in Europe. In Italy, the government fingerprints them. In 2008, bodies of two drowned Roma children were left at the beach while Italians and tourists vacationed a few feet away.

As late as 1998, the state of New Jersey in the US had anti-Roma laws. Popular American TV star Judge Judy has used the word “Gypsy” at least once as a synonym for a “thief” on her show after 2005. While Judge Judy’s remark can be explained perhaps by her lack of knowledge of Roma issues, the same cannot be said about influential people in countries with large Roma populations. In one such state, Romania, the president called a journalist “dirty Gypsy” in 2007.

While many Roma have historically assimilated (accepted, for example, Islam in the Middle East and Christianity in Europe), scores of them choose to keep their ancestral, migratory way of life despite hundreds of years of slavery, universal persecution and genocide. Others have established enclaves in different countries where they demand integration and respect. Roma supposedly left India as a result of foreign invasion to avoid persecution. Their common name “Gypsy” is a misconception that Roma originated in Egypt.

Many of the unassimilated Roma demand freedom of travel and not be regulated.
A unique case of stateless people, Roma do not demand independence or even political autonomy. The Roma persecution has brought about little outrage throughout the world. The problem, in this case, is definitely the lack of awareness.

In my home country Armenia, for instance, the word “Bosha” is an insult – while it used to be the ethnic name for the Roma who have either entirely assimilated or prefer to be called Lom. Their language, Lomavren, a unique mixture with medieval Armenian, has long vanished.

It is time that the world stand up against Antiziganism. Perhaps Amnesty International should adopt the cause of fighting Antiziganism as one of its main goals?

Roma segregated by wall in Slovakia

2010-03-13T12:36:00.000-08:00

Article from here: http://www.eubusiness.com/news-eu/slovakia-minorities.1mm

(OSTROVANY) - Lucia Kucharova never cared much about the view from her window until its main feature became a wall separating her and more than 1,000 other Roma from the rest of their village.

The white concrete wall, built last month in Ostrovany, a village of 1,800 in eastern Slovakia, has locals as well as Roma and human-rights organisations fuming.

"It's discrimination, the mayor should have used the money to build houses for us instead," Kucharova, a 25-year-old Roma, told AFP.

The wall, which is 150 metres (yards) long and more than two metres high, cost 13,000 euros (19,300 dollars) to build and begins where the road ends in Ostrovany.

But Cyril Revak, the village mayor since 1991, is careful to avoid calling it a wall.

"The fence doesn't prevent the Roma from coming to the village," he said. "It just prevents them from entering private gardens and stealing. It wasn't just petty theft, especially in autumn.

"People don't grow vegetables in their gardens any more, there's no use -- everything gets stolen."

To get from the village to Kucharova's house on the other, rubbish-strewn side of the wall -- and the destitute world of some of the 27-member European Union's most impoverished citizens -- one has to splosh through mud along a slippery downhill path.

At the foot of the hill, Alena Kalejova sorts through the ubiquitous litter for butt-ends that she gratefully picks up from the muddy ground on a chilly, rainy day.

"The children have been stealing apples from the gardens but what can we do -- they are just children," admitted the 21-year-old Roma mother of one.

Apologetically, she adds: "Cigarettes are too expensive, we can hardly live on unemployment benefit at 150 euros a month."

Joblessness in this Roma community is almost 100 percent with most living on unemployment benefits and so-called activation work -- community service aimed at improving job skills.

"These days even the 'gadzos' have problems finding a job," concedes Lucia Kucharova, using the Roma word for "white people".

Her own education ended after nine years of school.

The wall dividing Ostrovany -- whose name can translate as "island village" -- has outraged human-rights and Roma associations.

"We have filed a suit with the prosecutor, we think the wall was built illegally and it discriminates against the Roma minority in Ostrovany," Alexander Patkolo, chairman of the Roma Initiative of Slovakia (RIS), told AFP.

Ostrovany is by no means the only island of Roma poverty in the country, which joined the European Union in 2004.

There are more than 600 Roma settlements in Slovakia where people live without electricity, sewage or running water, most located far from the relatively affluent capital Bratislava.

Behind the wall, in a shack of wood and corrugated iron, Lucia Kucharova's partner Martin proudly tells how he himself built their home, tensing his muscles to display a woman tattooed on his shoulder as he speaks.

"We are lucky to have a fridge, a stove and running water here," he said.

The young couple share a narrow bed with two daughters, while their youngest girl sleeps in her stroller.

Just a few kilometres from Ostrovany lies Slovakia's largest Roma settlement near the village of Jarovnice. Floods killed 58 people there in 1998.

A nation of 5.4 million, Slovakia is officially home to around 89,000 Roma, according to the 2001 national census.

But in reality, the Roma population is much higher.

"The actual number might be approximately 350,000 Roma," says Arne Mann, an ethnologist at the Slovak Academy of Sciences. The EU's entire Roma population is estimated to be 11-12 million.

Mann blames communism for having pushed Roma further toward the margins of Slovak society.

"Before World War II, there was good cooperation between Roma and farmers. Roma used to help during the harvest or with the laundry," he said.

"But after the post-war collectivisation, their help wasn't needed any more and segregation began."

In a 2008 survey, 82 percent of Slovaks said they did not want to have a Roma neighbour.

"The segregation of the Roma can lead to similar problems as France had to cope with during nationwide riots in suburbs in late 2005," ethnologist Mann warns.

Rioting in France, the country's worst urban violence since the 1968 student revolts, was concentrated in deprived out-of-town housing estates largely populated by people of Arabic or African origin.

"It's a natural defence mechanism of people pushed to the fringes of society," Mann said.

I was reading a similar article on the Sofia Echo, and I was horrified to see that people were posting racist bile about Roma at the end of an article that clearly shows unfair treatment of Roma and segregation. I am shocked and saddened-- prejudice and ignorance is rampant among people from neighbours to government officials. Please, whenever you see people posting racist nonsense about any group of people, feel free to correct them. It makes a difference! It educates other readers, and hopefully educates the writers.

Famous Roma

2010-03-08T15:50:00.000-08:00

I thought for a change I would post some more light hearted information about Roma. There are a lot of famous Roma and people with Roma ancestry... writers, singers, researchers, performers, etc , including some wildly famous people that you may not have expected *cough cough Elvis cough cough* Check out this site: http://www.imninalu.net/famousGypsies.htm and learn about some groovy Roma!

Expulsions of Roma carried out unlawfully

2010-03-06T05:57:00.000-08:00

Press release - 146(2010)

European migration policies discriminate against Roma people

Strasbourg, 22.02.2010 – “European governments are not giving Roma migrants the same treatment as others who are in similar need of protection. Roma migrants are returned by force to places where they are at risk of human rights violations” said Thomas Hammarberg, Council of Europe Commissioner for Human Rights, in his latest Viewpoint.

The Commissioner stresses that the EU Directives impact differently on Roma than on other EU citizens. “The protective provisions of the ‘Free Movement Directive’ are breached much more easily in respect of Roma than any other identifiable group. Expulsions of Roma have been carried out in contravention of EU law. In other cases destruction of Roma dwellings has been used as a method to persuade Roma to leave ‘voluntarily’”.

Commissioner Hammarberg underlines that pushing Roma families between countries is inhumane and it victimises in particular children – many of whom were born and grown up in the host countries before they were deported. Expulsions between EU countries have also failed in a great number of cases as the Roma have used their right as EU citizens to move within the European Union area.”

“States now spending considerable amounts to return Roma to their countries of origin, would make better use of this money by investing in measures to facilitate these persons’ social inclusion in their own societies” he said.

Article from the Council of Europe: here

Unfortunately this shunting around of Roma families is terribly common world-wide. Many Roma are forced into housing complexes that are actually ghettos with no running water, electricity, or plumbing. The governments are not the only force acting against Roma-- these Roma settlements are often targets for hate-crimes including bombings, shootings, and arson. It's insanity to just turf out an ethnic group who migrated from India in the 12th century. Human rights are not being upheld. We have the information and the news reports. What we don't yet have is change!

Activists implore Pope to uphold “Christian values” on Roma “apartheid” in Europe

2010-03-06T05:46:00.000-08:00

Hindu and Jewish activists have portrayed His Holiness Pope Benedict XVI as “un-Christian” for not strongly supporting the cause of the Roma who face “apartheid” conditions in Europe.

Rajan Zed, acclaimed Hindu statesman; and Rabbi Jonathan B. Freirich, prominent Jewish leader in Nevada and California in USA; in a statement issued in Nevada today, said that the condition of the Roma had most of the signs of “apartheid” and that it was happening right under the Pope’s nose in Europe. Hindus & Jews had repeatedly appealed him in the past to openly embrace the Roma cause and come up with a White Paper on their plight but without any success.

Zed and Rabbi Freirich quoted from The Bible: “When he saw the crowds, he had compassion for them, because they were harassed and helpless, like sheep without a shepherd (Matthew 9:36).” “The Lord builds up Jerusalem; he gathers the outcasts of Israel (Psalm 147:2).” “For I will restore health to you, and your wounds I will heal, declares the Lord, because they have called you an outcast (Jeremiah 30:17).” “Behold, at that time I will deal with all your oppressors. And I will save the lame and gather the outcast, and I will change their shame into praise and renown in all the earth (Zephaniah 3:19).” “…let the outcasts of Moab sojourn among you; be a shelter to them from the destroyer… (Isaiah 16:4).” “Whoever says, ‘I am in the light,’ while hating a brother or sister, is still in the darkness (First Epistle of John 2: 9).” “…Just as I have loved you, you also should love one another (Gospel According to John 13: 34).”

Rajan Zed, who is president of Universal Society of Hinduism, and Jonathan Freirich, argued that Jesus Christ clearly told the world to help the helpless, defenceless and downtrodden and love them, and He showed the way. The Pope, being the acclaimed representative of the Catholic God on earth, should raise his voice against continuous Roma maltreatment. The Pope should act like a shepherd for a shepherd-less flock of Roma, just as Jesus Himself said that He had sheep from other pastures. The Pope should recognize, acknowledge and affirm the Roma as children of God who deserved to be treated like all other people—as equals. As the Vicar of Christ, the Pope should offer the Roma protection, compassion, and love. In the case of the Roma, the Pope should act as God wanted him to act, as distinctly defined in The Bible.

Hindu statesman Zed and Jewish leader Freirich further quoted “Leviticus 19:33-34”: “When an alien resides with you in your land, you shall not oppress the alien. The alien who resides with you shall be to you as the citizen among you. You shall love the alien as yourself, for you were aliens in the land of Egypt. I am the LORD your God.” As this commandment seemed to come directly from God, it should never be violated, especially not by the Pope, Zed and Freirich pointed out.

The Pope needed to re-study his scriptures, the Word of God, which was supposed to guide and direct him, and rise to the challenge of directing his followers to work to end the Roma “apartheid” in Europe. We were not asking much from the Pope, just suggesting to him that he be a true Christian, Rajan Zed and Rabbi Freirich said and added that it was a sin to silently watch about 15 million Roma suffer day after day for the last about 1200 years, and doing nothing about it.

According to Zed and Rabbi Freirich, the alarming condition of the Roma people was a social blight for Europe and the rest of the world as they reportedly regularly faced social exclusion, racism, substandard education, hostility, joblessness, rampant illness, inadequate housing, lower life expectancy, unrest, living on desperate margins, language barriers, stereotypes, mistrust, rights violations, discrimination, marginalization, appalling living conditions, prejudice, human rights abuse, racist slogans on Internet, etc.

Zed and Freirich stressed that besides the absence of any serious efforts at their inclusion, the Roma were being used as “punching bags” and blamed for the social ills of Europe. European neglect was trapping the Roma in cycles of persecution and poverty. It was shocking, reprehensible, hazardous and immoral. Being the most powerful religious leader in the world, it was the Pope’s moral obligation to make efforts to stop the frequent human rights violations suffered by Roma. Hindu Zed and Jewish Freirich offered help to Pope, if asked, to support the Roma cause.

*Information provided by Rabbi Jonathan Freirich

It is important for people with political, social, and religious influence to use their power to help people, to create harmony, and to encourage tolerance and equality. It would be a wonderful thing if the Pope, or any other important political or religious leaders, took the plight of the Roma to heart and encouraged governments and people alike to give the Roma their rights. No matter your religion or culture, we all deserve our human rights.

A call for the European Union to officially declare Roma maltreatment as “apartheid”

2010-03-02T09:51:00.000-08:00

And then resolve it.

Rajan Zed, acclaimed Hindu statesman; and Rabbi Jonathan B. Freirich, prominent Jewish leader in Nevada and California in USA; in a statement issued in Nevada on 22 February 2010, said that condition of Roma in Europe had most of the signs of an “apartheid” and everybody involved was explicitly aware of it. No more think tanks, research, analysis, surveys, and polls were needed to measure the gravity of Roma societal exclusion, as it was starkly visible to the naked eye.

Zed, who is president of Universal Society of Hinduism, and Rabbi Freirich, argued that most of much publicized fancy plans/programs launched by European Union and its various bodies, including “Decade of Roma Inclusion”, had failed to make a major dent to bring Roma at par with rest of the population. It was now time for Europe to come out of those cleverly coined terminology of Roma “projects/plans/programs” and “declaration/pledge/promise/initiative” photo-ops and do something “concrete and real” for Roma upliftment.

Rajan Zed and Jonathan Freirich urged various religious leaders and organizations of Europe to openly embrace and bless the Roma cause as religion told us to raise the voice for the helpless. It was a sin to watch the Roma suffer day after day for the last about 1200 years and not do anything about it.

Zed and Freirich pointed out that it was shocking to see how inhumanely Europe was treating its about 15 million Roma brothers-sisters. It was clearly reprehensible, hazardous and immoral and a blatant failure of Europe to meet its international obligations. When it came to Roma, Europe frequently failed to implement its own laws distinctly mentioned in its own books.

Rajan Zed and Rabbi Jonathan Freirich further said that alarming condition of Roma people was a social blight for Europe and the rest of the world as they reportedly regularly faced social exclusion, racism, substandard education, hostility, joblessness, rampant illness, inadequate housing, lower life expectancy, unrest, living on desperate margins, language barriers, stereotypes, mistrust, rights violations, discrimination, marginalization, appalling living conditions, prejudice, human rights abuse, racist slogans on Internet, etc.

Besides the absence of any serious efforts at their inclusion, Roma were being used as “punch bag” and blamed for the social ills of Europe and many politicians even exploited segregation to their political advantage. European neglect was trapping Roma in cycles of persecution and poverty. Roma issue should be one of the highest priorities of human rights agenda of Europe and world, thus reversing the history of persecution, Zed and Freirich stressed.

** Information courtesy of Rabbi Joanthan Freirich

It makes sense to name a thing in order to understand it and treat it correctly. The mistreatment of Roma is rampant. If we are ever going to over come racism, we must be totally honest about what racism exists in order to educate people, and then to achieve equality. I agree that the data is in and the polls gave been taken. We know that it's bad. Let's admit it and do something to change it. I'm always saying to write to officials, email your senators. They listen, and they write back! Jeanne Shaheen of NH always writes back to me when I contact her about issues that I'm concerned about, and I know she's listening, and she often tells me what I could do next. Communication is the best. It gets things done!

Roma families forced into metal cabins beside sewage in Romania

2010-02-02T07:56:00.000-08:00

In central Romania over 100 Roma were forced to live in metal cabins behind sewage works after forcibly evicted from their homes, as reported by Amnesty International.

According to this report titled “Treated like waste”, which was posted on January 26 on Amnesty website, many of these included families with children. Report quotes Erszebet, who lives next to the sewage treatment plant with her husband and nine children, and who told Amnesty International what life was like in a metal cabin: “It is tight, when the whole family goes to sleep we don’t fit in. We cannot take a bath; we cannot clean ourselves. It is too small. We don’t want the older girls to take a bath in front of their father.”

Rajan Zed, well-known Hindu statesman; and Rabbi Jonathan B. Freirich, prominent Jewish leader in Nevada and California in USA; in a statement issued in Nevada on January 27th, 2010, said that it was shocking to see how inhumanely Romania and Europe were treating their Roma brothers-sisters who were there since about ninth century AD. It was clearly reprehensible, hazardous and immoral, and a blatant failure of Romania and Europe to meet the international obligations.

Zed, who is president of Universal Society of Hinduism, and Rabbi Freirich urged the religious leaders of Romania to openly and strongly condemn this maltreatment of Roma as religions told us to raise the voice for the helpless. They stressed immediate end to forced evictions and guaranteed right to housing to Roma.

According to Amnesty, there are about 2.2 million Roma in Romania – making up about 10 per cent of the total population. As a result of widespread discrimination, both by public officials and society at large, 75 per cent of Roma live in poverty, as opposed to 24 per cent of Romanians and 20 per cent of ethnic Hungarians.

Entertainer Madonna was reportedly booed and jeered by thousands of fans in Romania in August last when she sympathized with Roma people and spoke against Roma discrimination during her concert in Bucharest.

Rajan Zed and Jonathan Freirich pointed out that alarming condition of Roma people, numbering around 15-million in Europe, was a social blight for Europe and the rest of the world as they reportedly regularly faced social exclusion, racism, substandard education, hostility, joblessness, rampant illness, inadequate housing, lower life expectancy, unrest, living on desperate margins, language barriers, stereotypes, mistrust, rights violations, discrimination, marginalization, appalling living conditions, prejudice, human rights abuse, racist slogans on Internet, etc.

It was like an undeclared apartheid and it was almost total societal exclusion of Roma. The maltreatment of Roma was outside even the European Union norms. Roma issue should be one of the highest priorities of human rights agenda of Europe and world, Rajan Zed and Rabbi Jonathan Freirich argued.

--Article Courtesy of Rajan Zed
***

I think the article speaks for itself. Yikes. This horrific treatment of Roma must end now. Here is a video on the matter from the Amnesty website.

And here is the report from Amnesty: click here.

And click here for a great blog called Lolo Diklo: Rroma Against Racism. Definitely check it out. It has great information, photos, and videos. All in all, very informative.

My flash fiction in Big Toe Review

2010-02-01T11:12:00.000-08:00

The last issue of Big Toe Review is out, and my stuff is in it. Check it out here: Big Toe Review

It's too bad that it's the last issue-- it's a great publication, but it seems that the editor has been too busy and felt that it was unfair to his readers and writers that he didn't have enough time to dedicate. It is the end of an era!

Minorities in Sweden have a worse health status than the rest of the population

2010-01-31T06:20:00.000-08:00

I received this article from Rajan Zed, and it suggests that minorities may be receiving a different quality of health care than the majority. I edited slightly for brevity.
***

“Most of the national minorities have a worse health status than the population as a whole”, according to a new survey by Swedish National Institute of Public Health, a state agency under Swedish Ministry of Health and Social Affairs.

Hindu statesman Rajan Zed, in a statement in Nevada (USA) on January 19th, 2010, said that it was distressing to note minorities’ health status from this survey, which was indicative that minorities in Sweden were treated differently than the rest of the population. It was the moral responsibility of the majority to take care of its minorities, Zed stressed.

This survey points out: “There are clear links between health status among the national minorities and like high unemployment, feelings of alienation, powerlessness and discrimination”. It talks about discrimination against male Jews; high unemployment, feelings of alienation, powerlessness and discrimination in case of Roma; Roma women experiencing lot of stress; high depression among Sami women; worse physical health of Swedish Finns; Tornedalers women felt discriminated against; etc.

Rajan Zed, who is president of Universal Society of Hinduism, urged Sweden to have a strong political will to ensure minority inclusion and integration programs to immediately take off the ground providing them with better health and education avenues, higher economic opportunities, sources of empowerment and participation, etc.

Zed also urged Sweden to urgently improve the plight of its Roma populace, who reportedly lived in apartheid like conditions. Zed asked how Sweden, which prided itself for its human rights record, was tolerating such reportedly widespread prejudice against a segment of its own society. Maltreatment of Roma was a dark stain on the face of Sweden.

According to Swedish Government’s Human Rights Website, “The Roma still occupy a highly vulnerable position in Swedish society and are exposed to discrimination although this is prohibited by law. Generally speaking, many Roma encounter great difficulties in virtually all spheres of society. This applies to education, the labour market, housing and health care and to possibility of participating in the community on the same terms as the majority population.”

Located in Ostersund with Sarah Wamala as Director General, the Swedish National Institute of Public Health works to promote health and prevent ill health and injury, especially for population groups most vulnerable to health risks.
***

Stockholm News also has a report about the issue. The article goes through the minorities in question and explains what in particular the health problems are. It's worth a read! Check it out here. Not all immigrants/minorities were involved in the study, and this quote from SN explains the missing data:

Around 500 000 people in Sweden identify themselves as belonging to a national minority. The absolutely largest group is the Finnish minority or "the Sweden-finns" as they are called. There are about 450 000 Sweden-finns in Sweden.

This means that there are many immigrants in Sweden who are not included in this study. In 2007, 1.23 million were born abroad. Since today it is at least the same number we can conclude that there are 700 - 750 000 immigrants who are not seen as minorities. The reason is that they are not defined as minorities in the strict sense, but immigrants.

An end to segregation in Czech schools in sight

2010-01-31T06:09:00.000-08:00

Good news! I have it from a source in the Czech republic that the Roma segregation issue is being resolved due to the flood of emails protesting the unfair treatment of Roma children in schools. The articles just haven't appeared in English yet.

Here is what my source sent me:

Amnesty International campaigns for equal access to education has attracted the attention of almost 6 thousand visitors www.zmenimeto.cz. More than 2 thousand of emails requesting for Nahal, Li, Francis and millions of other children equal access to education, went to Ministers and Minister of Education of Afghanistan, China and the Czech Republic.

In the near future we will send ministers and Secretary of the eight thousand letters, which, thanks to high school students have signed the inhabitants of thirteen cities CR. The campaign also promoted several major figures, including former President Vaclav Havel.... See more

Major achievement of the campaign is that it responded to the Minister of Education Miroslava Kopicová. Sent to participants in the call letter acknowledged that the chances of education of Roma and non-Romani children are effectively balanced. Presented the results of research, under which the primary schools in so-called practical (former special schools) 27% of all Roma children, while only 2% of non-Roma.

Improve access to education for Roma children, Amnesty International will seek in 2010. In Afghanistan, we will support in particular activist for the rights of Georgia's women in China have posvítíme on working conditions in factories. Learn more at www.amnesty.cz.

It is so nice to see that hard work really does pay off! It makes me warm and happy knowing that things are changing. My grandmother is Roma, and she grew up in a war torn Germany. She had to hide her ethnicity in order to save her life. Her horror stories have never left my mind, and they have shaped my life. She taught me to love all people, to be proud of who I am, and to speak up when there is injustice. People spoke up about this issue, and things really happened. The world is made up of many things, but all problems caused by people can be fixed by people too. It's important to remember that.

Roma kids segregated in Czech schools

2010-01-27T14:58:00.000-08:00

I'm quite behind on my blogging. In my defence, I've been spending all my time either volunteering at Barnardos, or constructing scholarship essays (which takes a lot of time!!). But this is very, very important. The article, is again, courtesy of Rajan Zed, my ever faithful informant and activist. And as always, I've condensed the article slightly.
***
Shock at the reported continual and systematic segregation of Roma children in Czech Republic schools, resulting in their receiving inferior quality education.

According to a recently published Amnesty International report titled “Discrimination in education of Roma persists in the Czech Republic”, “Romani children are regularly segregated in schools and classes for pupils with ‘mild mental disabilities’, where they receive an inferior education based on a limited curriculum”.

Statesman and president of Universal Society of Hinduism, Rajan Zed, in a statement in Nevada (USA) January 14th, 2010, said that it was unbelievable that in Europe in 2010 segregation was still continuing. It was simply immoral and unacceptable and European Union should immediately act to end this discriminatory practice and ensure equality in education.

Zed further remarked that Czech Republic should “wholeheartedly” back inclusion of Roma children and work on improving their educational attainments. At least, Roma children should be accorded equal opportunities and avenues of full participation in Czech life.

Talking about Roma children, the Amnesty report also points about “teachers’ prejudice” and “limited expectations”. In some places, Romani children make up more than 80 percent of the classes intended for pupils with ‘mild mental disabilities’. There are also Roma-only schools which often offer a lower quality education.

Zed argued that Roma people in Czech Republic reportedly faced violent attacks, stereotyping, racism, prejudice, growing gap between Roma and other Czechs, fear, beatings, poor quality housing, systemic employment and overall discrimination, persecution, throwing of Molotov cocktails, social exclusion, marginalization; refused service at restaurants, stores, discos, etc.; municipalities/towns failing to support them; and the state being unwilling or unable to offer protection.

Zed stressed that the country of Franz Kafka, Antonin Dvorak, Jaroslav Hasek, Karlovy Vary, and rich cultural heritage should not continue staying apathetic and silent spectator ignoring Roma apartheid.

References to Roma people in Europe, who are believed to have their roots in the Indian subcontinent, reportedly went as far back as ninth century AD. Amnesty International, headquartered in London and launched in 1961, is a global movement of 2.2 million people in more than 150 countries and territories who campaign to end grave abuses of human rights. Claudio Cordone is interim Secretary General.
***
The full Amnesty report can be found here. At the end of this post there is a link to "Support the Appeal" by sending a pre-worded letter to support the appeal to Minister of Education of the Czech Republic, Her Excellence Miroslava Kopicová, to end the education system's discrimination against Romani children. Please do this! You just have to sign it and send it with love. It's one of those precious things that takes a moment but makes a difference.

I quote a small section of the report:

The placement in practical schools and classes for pupils with "mild mental disabilities" is based on the results of assessments that fail to factor in cultural and linguistic differences of Romani children and may be compounded by the prejudice of staff conducting them.

Amnesty International has called on the Czech authorities to:

* Freeze all placements of children into practical schools and classes for pupils with "mild mental disabilities" for the school year 2010/11, pending a review of the need for such a curriculum and schools;
* Enforce in law the desegregation of education and adopt a comprehensive plan with clear yearly targets to eliminate school segregation of Romani children;
* Ensure that additional support is immediately made available for children who need it in order to effectively participate in and develop to their fullest potential within the integrated mainstream elementary school.

It's shocking that race segregation is still an issue. But this will change if enough people care, and make it known that they care.

Cash flow, yoga, apple crisp, and an angry badger

2010-01-23T04:27:00.000-08:00

It appears I am not so great at blogging. I've been quiet for large-ish spans of time. It is somewhat unnatural to me to be talking about stuff in a way that anyone can see. But... this is the way of the future, or a kind of socially encouraged big brother, or whatever.

I have been busy though. I need to get to Scotland for school in a recession. It is complicated. I'm very busy applying for scholarships, basically, and so far FAFSA has been breaking my heart. I did however get almost all of my course books for my MLitt in Creative Writing at the University of St. Andrews. I love them! It's so nice to be going to school for something that absolutely enthrals me. I can't wait until September!

Also, since I was 14, I've wanted to become a certified yoga teacher at the Kripalu Yoga Center in Lenox, MA. It is a wonderful yoga school and yoga retreat center. I am convinced that dedicating myself to yoga in this way will be life changing, and I have my heart set on this center in this part of the world. But I realise that this summer is probably the last opportunity I will have to go for quite a few years since I plan on completing a PhD after my MLitt. But, the funds simply are not there. So that leaves a lot of puzzling on my part. I am determined to go, but I'm scrambling for a solution. In the meantime though, I've kicked up my yoga practice in preparation, just in case I can go. My body complains a little, but I still find it so invigorating to enjoy an even longer than usual yoga practice once or twice a day, especially first thing in the morning. It takes discipline, but I find that after I conquer the pull of my warm bed, I'm excited to twist myself in all ways imaginable before breakfast.

And speaking of breakfast, I discovered the yummiest breakfast EVER. I found it on this blog, The Gluten Free Mommy. It's Natalie Naramor's Guten-Free Apple Crisp. I have Celiac's Disease which means that I can't east anything with gluten in it because my body just can't deal with it. A lot of people have it and don't know it because the symptoms are different for everyone and sometimes not obviously connected with food. I had it all my life and have been sick all my life, and only just realised what it was about 8 months ago. The blood tests for it can't be relied on either-- often times someone with Celiac's disease will test negative, even multiple times. So if you suspect you have it, the best thing to do is cut out gluten for 6 months and see if you feel better. If you're not so sure, eat one thing containing gluten and see what happens. Something like 75% of the population are suspected to have gluten intolerance. Wild stuff! But anyway, about the apple crisp, I tried it with the cream cheese layer, except I used extra light cream cheese, and it was DIVINE!

I suppose there is a lot to talk about though that has nothing to do with my trundling life. I will be blogging about more serious stuff, hopefully today.

But before I get too serious I should mention a little story that happened to me yesterday. I woke up to bright sunshine and for no reason that I can recall or explain, I said to my husband by way of greeting, "Have you ever seen a badger?"

L replied, "On TV."

"Are there badgers in Ireland?" I asked.

"Yeah," he said. "I guess I've just never seen one."

"Neither have I! I wish I would though. I feel like they might be adorable."

The day continued as usual. I went into Cork city to volunteer at Barnardos, a charity that aides abused children, I picked up some avocados for dinner, I went home on the bus, I made dinner and ate a nice meal with L. Then I noticed that the cat's water dish looked a bit skanky. I brought it outside and flung the skank-water into the garden, at which point I heard an awful screaming. It wasn't the cat, or a dog, or anything else I've ever heard before. I peered into the darkness and saw a very angry badger shaking water out of its eyes and turning tail to hide under the shed.

My first badger.

Photo courtesy of the BBC because the badger I accidentally threw water at was too angry to photograph. Plus it was awful dark.

Roma Inclusion Programs in Europe Appear Ineffective

2010-01-07T12:13:00.000-08:00

Despite four years into the “Decade of Roma Inclusion 2005–2015” initiative, Roma people of Europe still reportedly live in apartheid-like conditions.

Rajan Zed, acclaimed Hindu statesman and president of Universal Society of Hinduism; and Rabbi Jonathan B. Freirich, prominent Jewish leader in Nevada and California in USA; in a joint statement in Nevada yesterday, said that almost everybody involved in Roma upliftment programs would agree that Roma continued to face deeply embedded institutional discrimination and social exclusion. Concrete steps were immediately needed to improve their plight, who mostly migrated from Indian subcontinent to Europe starting ninth century AD.

Zed and Rabbi Freirich say that in spite of this much publicized “Inclusion” initiative involving political commitment by governments of Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Bulgaria, Croatia, Czech Republic, Hungary, Macedonia, Montenegro, Romania, Serbia, and Slovakia to improve the socio-economic status and social inclusion of Roma, they unfortunately reportedly continue to suffer from human rights violations and brazen structural discrimination.

Zed and Rabbi Freirich further say that on paper, Roma are fully covered by European Union legislation, which prohibits discrimination on grounds of ethnic origin in employment, social protection and education as well as access to goods and services, including housing. But in reality, Roma reportedly regularly face racism, substandard education, hostility, social exclusion, joblessness, rampant illness, inadequate housing, lower life expectancy, unrest, living on desperate margins, language barriers, stereotypes, mistrust, rights violations, discrimination, marginalization, appalling living conditions, prejudice, human rights abuse, racist slogans on Internet, etc.

Zed and Rabbi Freirich urged Czech Republic, which will reportedly preside over “Roma Decade” initiative starting July one, to deliver effective implementation, firm commitment and strong political will to improve the Roma plight. In the past, policies on paper to tackle Roma discrimination and exclusion had proved very weak to deal with their day-to-day sufferings. It is simply immoral to let this around 15 million population of Europe continually suffer and face human rights violations.

*Information provided by Rajan Zed

I hope that the Cxech Republic does step up to the plate. In this short article here written by ROMEA, ČTK, and translated by Gwendolyn Albert, Gabriela Hrabaňová, director of the Czech Government Office for Roma Community Affairs, told ČTK that the vision is to focus on Romani women and children. However, when asked for details she said "We do not yet have specific plans." However, she expects that by May the project will become more focused.

If you would like to read more about the Decade of Roma Inclusion, you can check out their website: http://www.romadecade.org/ . It's a great website with a lot of information!

My Dog is so Cute

2009-12-30T18:32:00.000-08:00

There isn't much else to say. He lives in America, so it's a long-distance ownership. It's complicated; he is in love with my mother's dog. He is so cute though, and I miss him always. Look at his little pug face!! He says, "Boof" instead of "Woof" and is generally magnificent.

I've been so busy

2009-12-27T17:44:00.000-08:00

watching 30 Rock like it's my job. I'm on winter vacation, so to speak, and I've been very indulgent. How have I not seen this show before? It is honestly one of the funniest shows I've ever seen, ever. And Tina Fey has quickly become my hero. She is such a great writer, and her team of writers are truly gifted. She's smart, funny, liberal, creative, and generally great. The characters are such a fabulous mess, all of them.

So... if any one of my 4 followers or periodic drifters has been wondering why I've been so quiet, some of it is travel, some of it is holiday madness, and the rest of it is Tina Fey.

"I believe that the moon does not exist. I believe that vampires are the world's greatest golfers but their curse is they never get a chance to prove it. I believe that there are 31 letters in the white alphabet. Wait...what was the question?"

EU Court of Human Rights Rules Rules Bosnia-Herzegovina's Consitution Discriminatory Toward Roma and Jews

2009-12-27T17:09:00.000-08:00

The European Court of Human Rights (ECHR) in Strasbourg (France) reportedly ruled on Tuesday that Bosnia’s constitution discriminated against Roma and Jews because it prohibited them to run for parliament or presidency.

The Hindu community has also urged Bosnia-Herzegovina to urgently modify its constitution to reflect that all its citizens are treated equally. Acclaimed Hindu statesman and president of Universal Society of Hinduism, Rajan Zed, in a statement in Nevada (USA) on the 23rd of December, said that it was moral duty of Europe (which prided itself for its human rights record) and Bosnia-Herzegovina (a country of age-old cultures and fabulous mountain vistas) to take care of their minorities who had participated together with the majority in continent building. Europeans should leave the ethnicities behind and build a better Europe working together, Zed added.

Structuring European and world societies on the principles of pluralism would be a step in the right direction, Rajan Zed also argued.

According to an ECHR press release: The Bosnian Constitution, in its Preamble, makes a distinction between two categories of citizens: the so-called “constituent peoples” (Bosniacs, Croats and Serbs) and “others” (Jews, Roma and other national minorities together with those who do not declare affiliation with any ethnic group). The House of Peoples of the Parliamentary Assembly (the second chamber) and the Presidency are composed only of persons belonging to the three constituent peoples.

Tuesday’s judgment was given by the Grand Chamber of 17 judges, with Jean-Paul Costa (France) as President. ECHR, an international court to deal with violations of civil and political rights established in 1959, has delivered more than 10, 000 judgements.

*Article courtesy of Rajan Zed

I understand that Bosnia-Herzegovina and the Balkans in general has recently been through much dividing and reassembling. The ethnic and political conflicts in much of the Balkans is still electric. For those of you interested in the history of the area, refer to Black Lamb and Grey Falcon by Rebecca West and Balkan Ghosts by Robert D. Kaplan, probably the 2 best books on the region and truly well-written to boot. I think it is wonderful that the problems in Bosnia-Herzegovina's constitution have been brought to light, and hopefully this will spark political change, which in turn may begin to heal the enormous and dangerous rift between the different ethnic groups in the region. These people have been through so much, and embracing each other as fellow people in peace and goodwill can only help.

Startling EU Survey Results about the Plight of Roma

2009-12-11T04:29:00.000-08:00

The results of recent European Union Agency for Fundamental Rights survey concluded that every second Roma was discriminated against. This European Union Survey on Roma also found that each discriminated Roma experienced about 11 incidents of discrimination yearly, 66-92 percent of Roma did not report discrimination because they felt that “nothing would happen or change” by reporting, about 86 percent could not name an organization that could assist them in case of discrimination, about 69 percent of Roma consider ethnic/immigrant discrimination was widespread.

The survey pointed out that one in four Roma was victim of crime, one in five Roma was victim of racially motivated crime, each crime victim Roma experienced about four incidents in a year, 81 percent crime victim Roma considered victimization racially motivated, 65-100 percent Roma did not report personal victimization to police because “they were not confident that the police would be able to do anything”, one in three Roma were stopped by police and half of Roma thought they were stopped because they were Roma, and Roma stopped by police experienced four stops a year.

Rajan Zed, acclaimed Hindu statesman and president of Universal Society of Hinduism; and Rabbi Jonathan B. Freirich, prominent Jewish leader in Nevada and California in USA; in a joint statement in Nevada today, said that it was almost 2010 and Roma apartheid in Europe was still continuing openly and blatantly in full view of the world with no end in sight.

Zed and Freirich pointed out that the alarming condition of Roma people is a social blight for Europe and the rest of the world as Roma reportedly regularly face social exclusion, racism, substandard education, hostility, joblessness, rampant illness, inadequate housing, lower life expectancy, unrest, living on desperate margins, language barriers, stereotypes, mistrust, rights violations, discrimination, marginalization, appalling living conditions, prejudice, human rights abuse, racist slogans on Internet, and more.

Zed and Freirich urged European Union and United Nations not to stay apathetic and silent spectator when fellow Roma brothers/sisters are facing blatant injustice and discrimination in Europe. He urged them to show strong political will, courage, and commitment in support of Roma cause.

References to Roma people in Europe, who numbered around 15 million, reportedly go as far back as ninth century AD. Zed and Freirich asked, how many more centuries Roma had to reside in Europe to prove that they were “real and equal” Europeans like any other?

*Information supplied by Rajan Zed, Hindu statesman and president of Universal Society of Hinduism

I hear it's best to laugh

2009-12-09T16:47:00.000-08:00

I've been on hiatus for a few weeks. I suppose I needed a break. A lot has been going on-- I'm traveling soon to a mystery destination, and I'm looking wildly for funding for school. Also, I started volunteering with Barnardos, a charity that helps abused children. Check out the website here! I really like volunteering there and I love all the good work that the charity does. Child abuse is an enormous problem, and helping kids out of a bad situation right away is absolutely essential. It gives them a chance to have a happy future even though terrible things have already happened. It's a chance to thrive, and hopefully, a chance to have a childhood.

While I was volunteering though, this filthy man wandered into the store. I say filthy for a few different reasons. He was older, perhaps in his late 60's, and the stench emanating from him was powerfully rancid. My stomach flipped as it often does when I encounter a person with bad character or bad intentions. He wandered up to me as I was flitting about the shop and asked where I'm from. His lips seemed to make kissing gestures, but I thought perhaps he had a disease like Parkinsons that affects muscle control. "America," I said, but I really didn't want to talk to him. But he's a potential customer; I have to I thought.
"Where?" he asked again, stepping closer to me, the smell curling sickly into my lungs
"America," I said again, taking a step back.
"Where?" a step closer.
"AMERICA!"
"Where in America?
"New Hampshire."
He stepped closer again and his lips pursed in a flurry of kisses. Then he looked me up and down and sneered. "I want to fuck you," he growled.
I shot him a filthy looked and turned to look at the volunteer behind the counter, closest to the phone incidentally, for help. She stared at me blankly. I turned back around and the pervert was already walking out the door, laughing.

I was kicking myself all day as I thought of everything I should have said or done. My mother told me that when a man flashed her and she pointed and laughed at his naked display, tears welled up in his eyes and he ran away. I should have laughed! I kept thinking, but I didn't feel like laughing. I felt depressed and small. What kind of weirdo walks into a charity that helps abused children and then abuses the volunteers? And why, why does this kind of thing keep happening to me? Haven't I been through enough degradation? Haven't we all?

Think fast; we have to be prepared.

Where is the spirit of bonhomie?

Hindus and Jews ask new Sofia mayor to urgently improve Roma plight

2009-11-24T14:37:00.000-08:00

My post a few days ago about Hindus urging Yordanka Fandakova to help Roma out of poverty and discrimination needs to be expanded. Rabbi Jonathan B. Freirich, prominent Jewish leader in Nevada and California in USA joined Rajan Zed, acclaimed Hindu statesman in a joint statement in Nevada on the 22nd of November, saying that mayor Fandakova should make Roma upliftment her first priority as their maltreatment was a dark stain on the face of Sofia and Bulgaria.

Thank you, thank you!

The Roma suffered right alongside the Jews during the Holocaust, or in the Romani language, O Porrajmos (meaning "the great devouring."). This fact is so frequently overlooked! The Holocaust Museum in Washington DC has only a corner of the third floor dedicated to the Roma's suffering when half of the Roma population was wiped out by the Nazis! Roma children were a favorite of Nazi doctors for their torture experiments, such as injecting them with salt water and so many unspeakable sexual and physical acts of violence and cruelty.

This website, Patrin, is an excellent source for Roma information ranging from O Porrajmos to the history of the Roma and Roma organizations. It's very interesting! I suggest you check out the link! Just a little trivia, the word patrin is the name of a small bundle of colored cloth, ribbon, and natural material (such as feathers, twigs, etc.) that Roma leave for other Roma caravans to communicate where they have been or where they are going, what it is like, and who they might be!

Hindus ask financial compensation for Czech Roma women victims of forced sterilization

2009-11-24T14:05:00.000-08:00

I got this email today for immediate release regarding the heinous crime of forced sterilzation against Roma women:

"Welcoming Czech Prime Minister’s 'regret' over involuntary sterilization of Roma women, Hindus have demanded fair and adequate financial compensation to the victims.

Acclaimed Hindu statesman Rajan Zed, in a statement in Nevada (USA) today, said that Czech Prime Minister Jan Fischer should offer formal 'apology' as the misconduct in this case was very serious and just 'regret' would not be sufficient to heal the deep wounds caused. Perpetrators should be prosecuted for the irreversible crimes against these women which permanently deprived them from having children.

Zed, who is the president of Universal Society of Hinduism, further said that neighboring Slovakia also now needed to acknowledge this blunder and apologize on this issue. Czech Republic should make Roma upliftment her first priority as they were facing apartheid like conditions. Their maltreatment was a dark stain on the face of Czech Republic and Europe.

Rajan Zed argued that Roma people in Czech Republic reportedly faced violent attacks, stereotyping, racism, prejudice, growing gap between Roma and other Czechs, fear, beatings, poor quality housing, systemic employment and overall discrimination, persecution, throwing of Molotov cocktails, social exclusion, segregated schools, marginalization; refused service at restaurants, stores, discos, etc.; municipalities/towns failing to support them; and the state being unwilling or unable to offer protection.

Zed stressed that the country of Franz Kafka, Antonin Dvorak, Jaroslav Hasek, Karlovy Vary, and rich cultural heritage should not continue staying apathetic and silent spectator ignoring Roma apartheid."

I absolutely agree that expressing regret is not enough. Forced sterilization is genocide, and a formal apology plus compensation need to be given by the Czech and Slovak governments. That would take another step toward mending the very broken relationship between Roma and non-Roma people. No one can give those women back the lives they may have wanted, or their bodies intact, but the government can at least try to make up for the many, many wrongs they committed.

I have received so many emails lately about the Hindu community speaking on behalf of the Roma community, and it really touches me. I'm so happy to see this solidarity. We are all people who deserve love and rights.

Hindus helping Roma

2009-11-19T13:49:00.000-08:00

Hindus ask new Sofia mayor to urgently improve Roma plight

Hindus have strongly urged newly elected mayor of Sofia (Bulgaria) Yordanka Fandakova to improve the plight of Roma people residing in Sofia, who are reportedly facing apartheid like conditions.

Rajan Zed, acclaimed Hindu statesman, in a statement in Nevada (USA) today, said that mayor Fandakova should make Roma upliftment her first priority as their maltreatment was a dark stain on the face of Sofia and Bulgaria.

Zed, who is the president of Universal Society of Hinduism, stressed that it was simply immoral to continue staying apathetic and silent spectator ignoring Roma plight, who reportedly regularly faced social exclusion, racism, substandard education, hostility, joblessness, rampant illness, inadequate housing, lower life expectancy, unrest, living on desperate margins, stereotypes, mistrust, rights violations, discrimination, marginalization, appalling living conditions, prejudice, human rights abuse, etc.

Commissioner for Human Rights of Council of Europe Thomas Hammarberg, who recently concluded a three-day visit to Sofia, visited a Roma settlement in the Republika district of Sofia where he assessed the living conditions as inhumane. “No one should live in these conditions in today’s Europe” he declared.

Capital and largest city of Bulgaria, Sofia is the second oldest city in Europe whose roots can be traced back to about 7000 years. Lonely Planet has described Sofia as "city waking up after decades of slumber".

Home Adventure

2009-11-15T10:39:00.001-08:00

It's a bizarre concept, travel. A year ago I wanted to flee NH and all my bad memories rooted there and in MA. I wanted to escape America and its recession. I arrived in Ireland with the same memories, swimming in a worse recession. I'm still glad that I traveled, but it was a drastically different experience than I anticipated. And now that I'm full of distance and poverty-and-time hewn wisdom I discover that the adventure I most want to embark on this moment is home, to NH, where the snow, my friends, my complicated family, my good and bad memories, and my blind black pug wait for me. I really want to go back for a few weeks for the winter holidays, and if fate and family intervene like they suggest they will, maybe my want will materialize. I am so excited just thinking about travelling to Portsmouth, Boston, and all the places I loved or that I just knew. I remember being in those places years ago, chewing on pens in my favorite cafes with an open notebook and skinny chai lattes, wishing to be away.

Blood Lust

2009-11-11T13:32:00.000-08:00

As some may or may not know, I'm seriously squeamish. Not a fan of the red stuff... actually, it's so intense that I am likely to faint if the conversation turns at all gory.

Now, lately I've been watching re-runs of America's Next Top Model for a little research-- I was curious about the way the show dealt with race, sexuality, and body image. I was intending to write an article about the problematic lens of the show and the affects it may have on young women, but there was so much material that my analytical skills were somewhat overwhelmed. I doubt I'll ever write the article and I gave up on the show. But before I gave up, I noticed a very interesting contestant from cycle 12, Allison Harvard.

Aside from the fact that I think she is stunningly beautiful in the most intriguing way, she is a great artist with a fascination with blood, guts, and all things that make me lose consciousness. Her art is on her flickr account: here. She piqued my curiosity. In a Four Four interview she says that she finds blood to be graceful, especially nosebleeds, and that she loves painting them. She goes on to say that nosebleeds can be innocent enough, or they could be a sign of something much more serious like blood disorders, but by depicting them in art it lessens their harshness.

That resonated with me so strongly; so often when I see blood or violence in art (visual, cinematic, literary...) I feel that it intensifies it, and consequently I have difficulty enduring a lot of art. I can't help but feel that I'm missing out, but my senses overwhelm my desire to appreciate. But the simple, truthful way that she explained her opinion on blood translated to art, and the fact that blood is an organic and amazing fluid that does wonderful things for our bodies just took hold of me, and for a moment, I breathed a sigh of relief.

I looked her up on youtube and delighted in her awkward yet witty humour, and I even convinced myself to watch a video of her doused in fake blood. It took a lot of deep breathing and the repetition, "It's fake, it's fake, it's fake," but I made it through the full 2:30 minutes. I feel like I was given a gift! So, thank you Allison Harvard, for your fantastic art, alarming beauty, and your simple philosophy, "blood is graceful."

A Hungarian Hospital Makes Efforts to Honor Roma Traditions

2009-11-10T12:08:00.001-08:00

Some more good news on the Roma Rights front, a hospital in Gyongyos has reportedly set up a special room for Roma patients and their visitors to practice their cultural rituals.
This makes me very happy. The more gestures of tolerance extended by people and institutions, the more assimilated the Roma people will feel. It will also remind others that the Roma people have an important place in society. We are all kin. Keep the love flowing. Read the full article from The Budapest Times, "Hindus laud Hungary hospital for attempt to honor Roma traditions." I summarize:

Acclaimed Hindu statesman and president of Universal Society of Hinduism, Rajan Zed, in a statement in Nevada (USA), November 10th, 2009, described this gesture as a “step in the right direction” and urged other hospitals of Hungary also to make similar accommodations to speed-up the integration of Roma.

This hospital in eastern Hungary was reportedly the scene of a cultural misunderstanding in 2002 when about a dozen Roma and police officials were injured in the conflict over the mourning behavior of Roma over the death of a relative. Roma have reportedly certain traditions linked to birth and death and they expressed their emotions differently than other Hungarians. This hospital is also reportedly considering having Roma liaison officers.

Zed reports that in Hungary, despite various government initiatives, Roma continuously suffer blatant discrimination, shanty town living, an atmosphere of hostility, huge unemployment rate, lower life expectancy, prejudice, significantly higher school dropout rate, racism, bias and stereotyping, school segregation, social exclusion, mistrust, human rights violations, etc. According to an estimate, less than 1% of Roma obtained higher education degrees.

These injustices are unfortunately true in many other countries including Romania and Italy. The Roma population in Hungary is estimated to be at 1 million, which makes Hungary home to the largest Roma minority in the world. The Roma people have been living in Hungary since the 14th century.

Zed stressed that it was moral obligation of Europe to take care of its largest minority Roma population and stop human rights violations suffered by them, who numbered around 15 million and lived in apartheid like conditions. There seemed to be no coherent and effective policy to assimilate them into the society. Their alarming condition was a social blight for Europe and the rest of the world.

Living Authentically

2009-11-09T18:13:00.001-08:00

I've been thinking a lot about the idea of living authentically. I always thought that I was really doing what I wanted to be doing, I mean, I am writing and publishing, I got into the MLitt programme I wanted, so on and so forth. But I find this unemployment thing, the whole running out of food thing, not having a place thing, etc. is getting me down. As time has marched on over this past year of being stranded, I've been slipping deeper and deeper into a kind of bland stasis. I'm watching way more TV than, well, ever. For 4 years I didn't even own one, but now I have "shows." After I scan the papers and sites for jobs, I flick on the TV and lose my mind in comedy and nature documentaries. Granted, some of the writing is excellent, and I know more about mammals, amphibians, and deep sea creatures than I will ever need to know (Yay!), but I'm not exactly happy. Actually, far from it. I have several writing projects, but they are nowhere near complete, I have a stack of fabulous books that I've been meaning to read, and a list of journals to submit to, and yet, I'm one lazy bitch. I do walk 5-10 miles a day and I do yoga about once a week, but even so, I used to do yoga daily because it's what I love. I'm not even writing daily over the past few months. What's wrong with me?

At first I thought, well, I'm just depressed, which rationally makes sense. Being in a state of abject poverty is stressful and can easily turn depressing. But, I know myself better than that. Then I thought, I'm just not feeling well. It's been a trying year, which is also true, but, it doesn't seem to be the main issue. I've been through worse. I've felt worse. A few years ago I had scurvy. It's not that bad at the moment.

So?

It turns out I'm just plain scared. Yup. I'm afraid to live authentically. I'm afraid to really and truly apply myself. I have been applying myself this year, sometimes quite a lot, but not consistently a lot. I have really bad weeks where I slip into oblivion, and that is just not "me." I'm afraid because when I was a child my abusers told me through their actions and words that I was inherently bad, weak, and deserving of abuse. I thought I had shaken these ideas loose, but they seem to have crept under my skin again. Upon deep meditation I realized that I had this belief that if I became my full, desired self, terrible things would happen to me and that people would hurt me again. That, of course, is preposterous. I'm proud of all I've achieved this year, and I know I can do more. I know I can work harder, and I know I'd be happier that way. So, I'm saying, "Screw you, Fear," and I'm dedicating myself to living authentically. I'll let you know how it goes. Authentic day 1, I submitted to another journal, edited a batch of poems, and wrote some stacked up correspondences, despite my raging cold (which is dizzying and yucky, but not incapacitating).

I'm sure I'm not the only one who has been holding back. There's nothing scary about it. Go forth and live authentically!

I'm a calendar girl!

2009-11-06T14:14:00.000-08:00

Scars Publications has put out their 2010 Sexy Poets Calendar, and I'm Ms. September. My poem, "Ash" is published beside me as well. You can buy it here: http://www.cafepress.co.uk/Sexy_Poets if you want to fill 2010 with the sexiest poets around! At least check out the link for a preview....

For any Americans interested in buying it, here's the American website: http://www.cafepress.com/Sexy_Poets

Madonna raises $16,600 for Roma (Gypsy) children

2009-11-06T13:34:00.000-08:00

That's right, Madonna is making me proud again. Thanks to Rajan Zed, Nevada Statesman, for emailing this information to me. I have edited slightly for brevity, but I quote,

Madonna donated one of her favorite specially made pair of autographed designer skyscraper gold heels Christian Dior shoes to a charity supporting education of Roma children, which was auctioned off at the fifth annual Ovidiu Rom Halloween Charity Ball held in Bucharest, Romania. One of the golden heels was reportedly marked with kisses and a heart by her while the other was autographed "Love Madonna". Oscar nominated Hollywood star Ethan Hawke (Training Day) reportedly spoke at the Ball.

A gold chain donated by Oscar winner actress Vanessa Redgrave (Mary, Queen of Scots) was auctioned off at about $8, 300. Money thus collected will be used to buy clothes and schoolbooks for Roma children, according to reports.

Welcoming Madonna for supporting Roma people, Hindus have urged her to “wholeheartedly” undertake Roma cause and do substantially more than just donating a used pair of shoes for the Roma charity.

Acclaimed Hindu statesman Rajan Zed, in a statement in Nevada (USA) today, said that Madonna, who was principally against Roma discrimination and who was the highest earning musician of the world making around $110 million in a 12-month period, should do more for the Roma people, who were facing apartheid conditions.

Zed, who is president of Universal Society of Hinduism, pointed out that being one of the world’s most powerful celebrities, Madonna would be very effective in focusing public opinion world over on apartheid of 15-million Roma people of Europe. Many Hollywood and other entertainment bigwigs had successfully worked against South Africa’s apartheid in the past.

Rajan Zed argued that Madonna had promoted humanitarian causes world over and Roma would be the next worthwhile cause for her to undertake. If she wanted his services in regard to Roma cause, he was willing to support her. Madonna should not stay apathetic and silent spectator when fellow Roma brothers/sisters were reportedly facing blatant injustice and discrimination in Europe, he said and added that Roma had reportedly recently faced heightened discrimination in Hungary, Romania, Italy, etc.

The alarming condition of Roma people is a social blight for Europe and the rest of the world as they reportedly regularly face social exclusion, racism, substandard education, hostility, joblessness, rampant illness, inadequate housing, lower life expectancy, unrest, living on desperate margins, language barriers, stereotypes, mistrust, rights violations, discrimination, marginalization, appalling living conditions, prejudice, human rights abuse, racist slogans on Internet, etc., Hindu statesman pointed out.

Rajan Zed further said that references to Roma people in Europe reportedly went as far back as ninth century AD. How many more centuries Roma had to reside in Europe to prove that they were “real and equal” Europeans like any other, he asked.

Madonna was reportedly booed and jeered at her Bucharest concert in August by thousands of fans when she sympathized with Roma people. Cheers reportedly gave way to jeers, when Madonna paused midway before a sell-out crowd of about 60,000 in Bucharest during her song La Isla Bonita in her about two-hour concert, part of her worldwide "Sticky and Sweet" tour, and touched on the plight of Roma people, showing the deeply entrenched prejudice against Roma in Europe.

Roma are believed to have their roots in the Indian subcontinent.

I think this is a wonderful step in the right direction. I do truly hope that Madonna takes up the cause of Roma Rights, because the Roma people have been ignored for too long. Education is an enormous problem; I find that most people I talk to don't realize that Roma are an ethnic group with a culture and a need for rights and protection. Madonna, with all her fame and influence, would be the perfect spokesperson because of her ability to reach so many people through her music, charity, and personality. She has a good heart, and I hope she realizes not only the importance of this issue, but also the emergency. I also love to hear that other influential people, like Rajan Zed, are speaking on behalf of the Roma people and are urging others to support their rights. Unfortunately, the world is not safe yet for Roma, but I think with education, change, and love, this will change. If you can't open your wallets to the cause then open your mouths. Keep talking about this issue, keep reminding people that Roma discrimination is a crime that is being committed over and over again every day, all over the world, and that there are things we can do (like writing to government officials and the UN, and supporting roma rights organizations, etc.) to give the Roma people fair treatment and equal rights!

"The Harp-Snapper" out in The Mom Egg

2009-10-29T15:26:00.000-07:00

That's right, my lovelies. My poem "The Harp-Snapper" is out in the new issue of The Mom Egg, their first online issue. This is an awesome journal that deals with themes of motherhood and mothers. So get in the genetrix groove and get reading!

Here's the link to the current issue

Celebrate poetry!

Irish Judge Makes Racist Statements Against Roma

2009-10-29T15:01:00.000-07:00

Outrage fills me as I write this. The ridiculously one-sided and poorly informed Independent published this article Roma raise children to steal-- judge. The title, which should be in scare quotes and is stated as though this ridiculous claim is fact, tells a shameful story. Judge Aingeal Ni Chonduin made this outrageous statement after sentencing a 16 year old mother to 7 days in jail and a 200 euro fine for stealing clothes and children's shoes. The girl was brought over by her partner, 5 years older than her, when she was 13. She had her child at 15. The Health Service Executive had conducted welfare assessments into the girl's situation, but did not deem that any action was necessary despite the glaringly obvious fact that she is a victim of statutory rape.

Judge Ni Chonduin made this obscene generalization: "That seems to be the culture, that is the way the families function, unfortunately, to go about to steal," said regarding the girl's circumstances. She also said it seemed that the children were "raised" to steal.

"It is a different culture, it does not go with our ways and our shops are being robbed blind," she said.

What a complete OUTRAGE! This clearly racist woman should be removed from her post. How DARE she accuse an entire culture and ethnicity of raising their children to steal based on the case of one desperate young mother who was clearly trying to provide for her child! And saying these untrue, provocative remarks during a time of depression about an ethnic group that is already regularly discriminated against world-wide is not only disgusting and irresponsible, but also outright dangerous.

Thankfully, I'm not the only irate person. These quotations were taken from the far more responsible newspaper The Herald, Anger as judge says Roma children are raised to steal.

Pavee Point, which runs a Roma programme, expressed disappointment."It is not part of Roma culture or any culture that I know of to raise children to steal," a spokeswoman said."The vast majority of Roma parents would be horrified with that suggestion. It's not helpful for anybody in authority to make comments that only serve to stereotype and scapegoat an already marginalised community. I'm sure there are some members of every community who are not raising their children correctly and are engaged in deviant behaviour, but that doesn't mean the whole community is."

The Immigrant Council of Ireland said the judge's remarks were "inappropriate and unfair", while Pavee Point Travellers Centre said they further "scapegoated" the Roma community.

Thaindian News reports:

Hindus have asked for resignation of the Ireland judge who reportedly accused Roma community of raising their children to steal.

Hindu statesman Rajan Zed, in a statement in Nevada (USA) today, said that it was simply not acceptable from an honorable judge to blame the whole ethnic group of about 15-million people for a wild allegation like this one.

Dealing with a case of Roma teenager at the Dublin Children’s Court on Wednesday, Judge Aingeal Ní Chonduin reportedly accused the Roma community of raising their children to steal saying they were responsible for “our shops being robbed blind”.

Zed, who is president of Universal Society of Hinduism, argued that this did not reflect well with one of the world’s most beautiful countries of James Joyce and William Butler Yeats and known world over for its warmth and welcome. They also urged leadership of Ireland’s majority Roman Catholic and other religious establishments and religious leaders to come out openly against this accusation as religions told us to help the helpless.

Few months back, Roma residents in the nearby Northern Ireland were reportedly terrified and forced to flee their homes due to repeated racist violence.

This was happening in the middle of Europe, which claimed to be the torchbearer for the entire world regarding human rights. Was this the way in which the civilized societies functioned in Europe, asked Rajan Zed.

-Sampurn Media

Speak out, my humanitarian friends! Demand Judge Aingeal Ni Chonduin's removal!! Make some noise! Remind people that Roma rights are worth supporting! The future of humanitarianism is in all of our hands! This judge has made a racist statement that shows that she is no judge at all. Lies about the Roma people stop now!

Words remembered and forgotten

2009-10-27T16:34:00.000-07:00

And misplaced. I notice that since I have been moving and traveling around the USA and Europe my accent and idioms have become rounded, reshuffled, and resurfaced. I'm saying Irish idioms as though I've said them all my life. Instead of vite-a-mins I say vit-a-mins... and then there is my renewed love of bluegrass and funny little southern similes born from college, and all my New Hampshire, northern turns of speech have suddenly blended into the onslaught of new words and ways. Only the resilient stay, but, I'm not really sure that they were "the original" speech. German, Spanish, French, and Italian have slipped in too, jumbling with each other and poking fun at my English. At first, I was alarmed, and tried to re-instate my fading American accent and reclaim and my quirky New Englandisms as though my personality would disappear along with them if I didn't work fast to recover them, store them sagely, make back-ups.

But then more I tried to remember, the more I forgot. I remembered saying "I'm wicked tired of this jet-lag," in Italy, and "Auf Wiedersehn" to my grandmother in New Hampshire. And didn't I speak Spanish in Virginia? Didn't I order lunch perfectly in Madrid? Didn't I tell L's mom that getting financial aid from the states is like pulling teeth from a horse? What are the infinite ways to say, "It's colder than a witch's tit?" Didn't S murmur "Git 'er dun," in Dublin? Didn't that perfect gentleman say "Bonsoir" so sweetly?

This struggle quickly birthed a understanding. I wasn't losing anything. I'm gaining an accent that reflects all the places I've loved and the sounds I've soaked up. Every year that passes, every country I stay in, all the languages I learn shape my accent, shape my brain. And my personality has always been bigger than Epsom or Hampstead NH. It's all ok. Remember and forget. Learn.

Change War for....

2009-10-24T04:05:00.001-07:00

I really liked this little montage in Cork city "Change War for ...." It's so sweet, innocent, and happy. And war sucks, don't you agree? Hugs, parties, and flowers are so much better. What would you change war for?

Decidedly not listening to jazz

2009-10-23T13:34:00.003-07:00

The jazz weekend in Cork starts tonight and not having the bus fare into town and not wanting to walk 10 miles in the dark puts me in the house in the B-Ghetto. I know there are many things I could be doing: I could patch my other jeans, read about wine science, clean, or engage myself with a patronizing TV documentary. I just can't convince myself to embrace the joy of a domestic night in when I know that small city magic is occurring down the street just out of reach of my wallet. Is this myopia? Maybe. Sometimes a dirty kitchen just isn't enough adventure for me. Or maybe I need to be more creative, like making a replica NH state capital building out of expired ready-break and sultanas.

New Facet

2009-10-23T06:07:00.000-07:00

I like to blog about subjects which I feel passionately about, such as Poetry, Literature, and Writing; Roma-Gypsy Rights, and Human Rights in general; Feminism; Nature and the Environment; Politics; Love; Baby Ducks and Puppies; etc. But I also love food. I'm going to talk a bit about that now too.

Food is weird for me because I have Celiacs Disease and a soy, onion, and a few other allergies. Plus I'm sort of a vegetarian (Yeah, I know that makes no sense). What I mean is, I was a strict vegetarian for 13 years, but my many recent health issues have required me to begin to incorporate some fish and chicken into my diet. I get quite sick without them and I haven't found a way around it. SO, really I'm a former vegetarian with good intentions. And it's difficult to eat at restaurants without getting really sick, but luckily I love to cook, especially Italian and Indian food.

Really quick suggestion: Roasted Kale

I discovered this 5 minutes ago! Take a few bunches of kale... adapt for your eaters. Wash and strip the leaves from their tough stems. Dry with paper towels. Spread onto baking tray and drizzle lightly with good quality extra virgin olive oil. Then sprinkle with good quality sea salt and pepper to taste. Stick in the oven at... oh, 350 F and let roast for 5 minutes, keeping close watch. Then flip the little leaves over and roast for another few minutes. They should be crisp, not burnt. Then, eat!

It has a high-ish fat content due to the olive oil, but they are good fats, and the entire snack is quite healthy and really delicious, even if you normally don't like kale. And kale is an extremely healthy green vegetable full of vitamin C and K, plus lutein, zeaxanthin, and calcium. It's also an anti-inflammatory and full of anti-oxidants.

Ta-da!

Swans

2009-10-20T07:12:00.001-07:00

While L, his mom, and I were adventuring around the back of the island these swans came out of the sea and waddled us to us, hissing, honking, and looking for food. It was so magical to be so close to these creatures so often described in myth and folklore, but it occurred to me that their 'realness' was what made me love them. They carried off no Leda that day. They only wanted what everyone wants, to thrive. The swan represents poetry, spirituality, and the poets' spirit, so I'm taking their vocal appearance as a good omen.

Goodbye Ireland, Hello Scotland!

2009-10-19T14:41:00.000-07:00

Well, in September '10. I got into the MLitt Creative Writing programme at the University of St. Andrews! I'll be studying poetry starting next September. I AM SO EXCITED!

Two New Poems-- The 13th Warrior

2009-10-16T04:07:00.000-07:00

Hey Everyone,

Two of my poems, "Babysitting," and "In the Waiting Room," came out in The 13th Warrior recently, another groovy journal. Check them out here and support poetry! Hope you like them!

(This is some graffiti I captured in Cork city)

And Now I Look Like a Woman

2009-10-15T06:34:00.000-07:00

I have been meaning to write this for a while now, but as with all new endeavors, I needed some time to process. I stopped shaving totally, all together about 2 months ago. Poverty put the idea in my head, and then ~~fashion~~ feminism cemented it. I couldn't really afford another razor blade, and my skin was so irritated from shaving with soap and dull razors that I just stopped for a week or so. I asked my husband if he "minded" and he burst out laughing, "It's your body and you are a woman, and grown women have hair. Of course I don't mind. And even if I did, why should you care? It's your body. You have a right to your hair. When did women start shaving anyway?"

I always considered myself a feminist in the true sense of the word. Why on earth would I ask my husband if he "minded"? Obviously culture has done some naughty things to my brain. So I did a little research and stumbled upon this article, "Caucasian Female Body Hair and American Culture" by Christine Hope. According to Hope's research, the fashion industry began "encouraging" American women to shave their underarms around 1915, when sleeveless fashions became popular. Harper's Bazaar featured an ad stating: "Summer Dress and Modern Dancing combine to make necessary the removal of objectionable hair," which appears to be the beginning of degrading women's body hair in America. The war against leg hair appeared when fashion shifted and allowed women to display more than just an ankle. According to Hope, convincing women to shave their legs was more challenging, so advertisers got creative. "Some advertisers as well as an increasing number of fashion and beauty writers harped on the idea that female leg hair was a curse."

Well that was the last straw for me! I stopped shaving that day, permanently. Despite my new freedom, I still felt ashamed of my body hair though, so much so that I actually became anxious in social situations! I'm bisexual and have had both male and female partners, but it was always my previous male partners who felt strongly about my body hair, one of them saying he preferred "hardwood floors" which was his stupid euphemism for "the pre-pubescent girl style." (P.S. This guy was also physically, sexually, and emotionally abusive). The extent of my anxiety alerted me that something was wrong. What did I think was going to happen? Did I think that men, women, and children would shield their eyes from the soft black patches under my armpits? Did I think that the bus driver would strike me as I hitched up my skirt to step on the bus? And, more importantly, did I think they would be justified? What a scary world that would be! I had to think more seriously about this, about taking control over my own body, owning my natural womanhood, loving every little hair because it's mine and it's supposed to be there.

This blog post "The Politics of Body Hair" by Anji on her awesome feminist blog, Shut Up, Sit Down is a wonderful exploration of culture, body hair, and looking like a woman. I agree with every word! I quote,

"Much of this can be attributed to the fetishisation of youth. Like glossy hair, bright eyes and unlined skin, hairlessness gives the body the appearance and feel of a young girl’s, or what I once saw described on the website of a hair removal product as a ‘prepubescent appeal’. It is curious that in a society where paedophilia is so reviled and such a huge problem, it is thought of as harmless and ordinary that men live out their paraphilic fantasies by requiring that the women they are exposed to look as young as possible. Pornographic media advertises its ‘barely legal teens’. Actresses are routinely referred to as ‘girls’ rather than women. The image of the ’sexy school girl’ is accepted and even desired, not just in pornography but in advertising, music video and themed nightclubs. Women slather on creams and apply blusher to their cheeks in order to attain a more ‘youthful’ appearance. Cosmetic surgeons and expensive underwear promise to give the illusion of the ‘firm’, ‘pert’ and ‘perky’ breasts which generally only occur naturally in adolescent girls. Most curiously of all, women are required to remove the most visible, prominent physical sign that they have entered adulthood – their bodily hair."

Just now, two months after the fact, am I beginning to relax with my new, adult woman body. The belief that body hair is ugly was so strongly ingrained in me by my culture, my exes, and my mother (who tirelessly degraded my body) that it really took a lot of positive affirmation for me to become comfortable. But ultimately, it is people like Anji and my husband who reminded me of all the fantastic feminist reasons why I was inspired to give up shaving in the first place (and no, not because of dull razors and crappy soap, although that helped). Also, the idea that I am supposed to look this way for a biological reason certainly gave me a wake-up call. Anji says,

"Grown women are, after all, meant to have hair on their armpits, vulva and legs. There is nothing ‘unnatural’ about a hairy woman; if there were then the hair would not grow there in the first place. Likewise, there is nothing ‘unfeminine’ about a hairy woman; if femininity is defined as ‘like a woman’ then a woman in her natural state is by definition as feminine as she can be. Indeed, one could say it is the hairless woman who is ‘less feminine’, as she removes parts of her natural, womanly body."

The fact is, it is a totally unreasonable "standard of beauty" that convinces women that they want to shave, or that they "prefer" themselves shaved. It's just another way to control women, to keep them looking like girls, and to deny them their natural bodies, which are ultimately the paragon of beauty. So ladies, what's it going to be? Repression and Razors or Liberation and Fluffiness? I love my fluffy self. I look like a woman.

Roma Children Drowned before an Apathetic Public

2009-10-15T03:28:00.000-07:00

The Picture that Shames Italy EPA

I have read and re-read this story of the two Roma (Gypsy) girls drowned on a beach in Naples, Italy and the beach-goers continuing to sunbathe beside their corpses as if the dead children were nothing but seashells. This is a news story from July 2008, but it is just as pertinent this year. It is truly gruesome, but unfortunately, it does not surprise me. Racism has no boundaries, which is why it must be conquered by love. We are all people.

To be balanced, I have two news sources, The Independent "The Picture that Shames Italy," and EveryOne (a human rights organization) "Two Children of the Ethnic Group Roma Drown in Naples." Both are excellent articles covering the terrifying incident, but EveryOne has done some more digging, finding the story that the girls went into the water of their own volition a little hard to swallow.

Two girls Cristina, aged 14, and Violetta, aged 14, were selling trinkets on the beach with their two cousins, aged 13 and 11, and drowned in the rough tide. The Independent credits their drowning to their exhaustion and the temptation of the cool sea during the hot day, but EveryOne points out how unusual it would be for these girls to decide to go for a swim while they were working and when the Roma culture takes modesty very seriously. However, the most disturbing element of this tragedy is that the beach goers continued to enjoy the sun and such beside the washed up, lifeless bodies of these children as if they were not there at all. Peter Popham of The Independent writes, "The indifference was taken as shocking proof that many Italians no longer have human feelings for the Roma, even though the communities have lived side by side for generations."

"This was the other terrible thing," says Mr Esposito, "besides the fact of the girls drowning: the normality. The way people continued to sunbathe, for three hours, just metres away from the bodies. They could have gone to a different beach. It's not possible that you can watch two young people die then carry on as if nothing happened. It showed a terrible lack of sensitivity and respect."

Popham describes the Italians' relationship with the Roma people, "Roma have been living in Italy for seven centuries and the country is home to about 150,000, who live mainly in squalid conditions in one of around 700 encampments on the outskirts of major cities such as Rome, Milan and Naples. They amount to less than 0.3 per cent of the population, one of the lowest proportions in Europe. But their poverty and resistance to integration have made them far more conspicuous than other communities. And the influx of thousands more migrants from Romania in the past year has confirmed the view of many Italians that the Gypsies and their eyesore camps are the source of all their problems. The ethnic group is often blamed for petty theft and burglaries. According to a recent newspaper survey, more than two thirds of Italians want Gypsies expelled, 'whether they hold Italian passports or not.'"

Roberto Malini writing for EveryOne concludes his article, "'The Roma people are just a scourge,' say the politicians, the authorities, the journalists. The tragedy that took place on Torregaveta beach is not worthy of shedding a tear for, not worthy of wasting a prayer on.

On the sand lie two starfish."

Check out groups like EveryOne and Roma Rights and see what you can do. There are frequently efforts to contact government officials in countries like Bulgaria, Romania, and Italy (really most countries to be perfectly frank) that have serious human rights issues concerning the Roma people who are too long mythic scapegoats and targets of violence.

Love all people.

Meow!

2009-10-12T12:57:00.001-07:00

This is my kitten hat. I got it ages ago in Portsmouth at this great store called The Odd Showroom. I put it on and it has made me happy all day. I got some strange looks.

Fashion is Danger

2009-10-10T13:13:00.001-07:00

I was never Fashion-Conscious. In high school I wore whatever I felt like, usually bohemian and gypsy-traditional, or just completely bizarre punky contraptions. In middle school I wore leather pants and shiny purple sneakers. I was made-fun of constantly, and usually for my off-key clothes. But I really didn't care. I still don't care, and I wear whatever I like, but suddenly I know that leather is so in this season and I'm lusting after this Top Shop dress.

Stud Leather Dress - View All - Dresses - Topshop

Shared via AddThis

But of course, this is when I can't afford to feed myself properly. So it's more like I'm a fashionista in a "oh-wow-that's-so-pretty-but-I'll-just-stick-to-darning-my-jeans-for-the-third-time-and boy-am-I-hungry" way. So I "shop" online and drool over the "click here for a larger image" images and that's how I sate my esurience. I've seen all the over the thigh boots and sheer dresses, plus Kate Moss' limited edition line at Top Shop... I've seen it all. I'm not complaining. I'm sure I'll lose interest next week anyway, and besides, I really like those jeans. Patches are still cool, right?

Neglected adventuring

2009-10-09T02:26:00.001-07:00

This is a shot of Blackrock Castle which now houses an observatory for the astronomy students at CIT. L and I went on a walk a few days ago out here just for a change. It's been difficult to achieve a balance. We used to work compulsively but for the past year we are forcibly unemployed. We drove ourselves crazy for the first 10 months studying wildly, applying to literally hundreds of jobs, and scrambling for a new plan. I got 15 poems published, applied to the graduate programme of my dreams, and L took up piano and discovered that he is very talented. But we burned ourselves out with all our scrambling. So the last few weeks we decided to take it easy. But that made the stress even more salient. It's like we spend our time trying not to exist. We see our poverty, we feel the ache of homelessness and the discomfort of depending on others for shelter, and all the small dramas that we try to ignore become central, and we bicker. It's desperation. 40 percent of the city is unemployed. We don't have enough to sustain us and that feeling of not enough is exhausting. Aging. We wonder if we should have stayed in America, but all wondering does is remind us that there is no one to tell us what we should do now. What we can do, we realised this morning, is give ourselves some kind of plan. Balance work and play and be strict. Go on small adventures. And to remember love brought us here and love will see us through. And ask the gods to let us win the lottery today.

Bits of Vanity News Chosen at Random

2009-10-07T06:51:00.000-07:00

Hola!

Basically, I start Italian lessons on Thursday, and I am terribly excited.

Next, I seem to have Celiac's Disease. I've gone gluten-free. I'm chatting to my Dr. in a few hours.

And, a poem of mine us appearing in The Mom Egg mid- October. Yay!

a poem I like tonight

2009-10-04T20:19:00.000-07:00

I grabbed this poem from Ada Limon. She posts original poems in her blog which I became enamoured with shortly after her poem "Crush" appeared in the New Yorker. Enjoy!

Teamwork

The night opens cartwheel quick,
hiccups the moon into one electric
fit, and I’m so gullible that I still believe
it’s a miracle, still come surrendered
to the sky’s fantastic empty. But
let this one be yours tonight,
with the city’s audience of blurs,
an audience of applauding hours,
and I’ll take this quiet corner, like
a cat who sleeps on the furthermost
edge of the bed, with a look that says
only, I am happy to have just this.
It is enough that in this same sweet now,
you are somewhere existing.

Limbo

2009-10-04T19:41:00.001-07:00

I have not been a faithful blogger. What is there to say? 10,000 things and more. But what do I want to say? That is much more limiting.

Other people's cats are curled on cushions or left outside. There are spiders all over the walls wherever I haunt, the one critter that used to send me screaming, but I've gotten used to them. I can even put a teacup over them now until L can usher them outside. Small feat. I don't like the way they move. They remind me of every human predator I've ever known.

Insomnia curls up beside me again. I know it happens when something stressful happens with my family back in America. Knowing that I can't sleep because of trouble doesn't help, probably because my little equation isn't always true. Much of the time I don't sleep because I remember the things that used to happen in the dark, or darkened places, and I can't convince my awareness to desist until daylight hours. As I explained to my mother-in-law earlier, "It's just something about the dark, but then, I can't sleep in the light."

I don't like to complain about the limbo state we're in... even though we're poor and scraping by in other people's homes and waiting for work, I still feel lucky. I feel like someone is taking care of us. And it's nice to be in love with nowhere to go. This total rootlessness though that I imagined I would like when I was a teenager picturing myself in Europe in my twenties is not as rich and contemplative as I had thought. Actually, I found that I love having charming, kind, ebullient, warm friends surrounding me, and I miss the wonderful friends that I left behind in various countries much more than I thought was possible. That is my only real complaint, and it is one motivated by love, so I don't scold myself.

So all night I have been reading Jhumpa Lahiri's Unaccustomed Earth, which is a masterpiece of short fiction. Read this collection if you're into stories! It deals with immigration, loss, homeland, relationships, and travel so crisply and with such insight and succinct brilliance that I can't put it down. Wow. This woman will be remembered.

I suppose I bring this little dream to a close. So tell me, Reader, do you have a cure for insomnia? I've tried the drugs and they don't work.

Irony

2009-09-13T09:30:00.000-07:00

Somewhat ironically, after I write a nice long post yesterday that glibly suggested suicide can be prevented with the ease of a creative mind or will, I discover that one of my sweet, artistic friends, Jan, has killed herself.

She was a wonderful, warm, and beautiful person, much loved and greatly missed. Goodbye Jan. You brightened the lives of all those who knew you. I hope you found a balm for your spirit.

Be a Vulture

2009-09-12T10:59:00.000-07:00

I swiped this short play from Ada Limon's post on linebreak:

Owl & Deer Discuss Poetry: A Short Play

Deer: “Wouldn’t it be nice to take a break from writing.”

Owl: “No.”

Deer: “Yeah, you’re right.”

Owl: “I know that I feel my best when I’m writing. It’s like, I think I want to just give up and then suddenly I’m writing a poem and it’s like, wow, life is awesome! Poets may be the only people in the world who could save themselves by writing their own suicide note.”

Deer: “It’s true, I love the new book I’m working on. I mean, it’s completely incomprehensible and unreadable, but I love it.”

It's adorable, yes, but when the owl said, "Poets may be the only people in the world who could save themselves by writing their own suicide note." I thought YES! That kind of eternal yes that reacts to more than what was said, but beyond it to reflection, experience, and hope. I know personally that when things get bad, and whoa they have been pretty bad, I always, inevitably think: there is a poem in this.

Even if you're not a poet, you still don't need to kill yourself. What I mean is, when you are desperate and life is pulling out your fingernails, there is still a jewel there. A story, a painting, anything... whatever floats your rubber ducky. It's a driving force toward expression and change.

I was reading The Secret Language of Birds by Adele Nozedar and discovered that the word "cathartic" comes from the Latin word for "Turkey Vulture", "Cathartes Aura." This is because of the vulture's habit of eating rotting flesh, and in the days of no sanitation or plumbing, this was truly a gift. The bird was often seen as a deity in many pre-Christian cultures including the Latins, Egyptians, and Aztecs. Nozedar writes,"The birds were seen as transformers of waste and decay, rendering everything clean and wholesome again. In addition, vultures only take what they are given; they do not kill in order to eat."

Be a vulture. If there is death, decay, waste, and gore in your life, then process it into something "clean and wholesome again." We can't avoid pain, but we can use that experience to broaden our understanding and practice of love.

"By Boat" in Chantarelle's Notebook

2009-09-07T14:22:00.000-07:00

Yes, I was so busy reading The Secret Language of Birds by Adele Nozedar that I forgot to mention that my poem, "By Boat" came out in issue number 17 of Chantarelle's Notebook, which is an excellent online literary journal.

Please check it out!

Picture Time

2009-09-06T05:34:00.000-07:00

I wrote a children's book a few years ago and never did anything with it outside of college. Today L and I are illustrating. He's a truly talented artist, it just so happens.

Then I will begin the publishing song and dance. But I think it will be fun. It's tentatively called, Swimming with Honu. It's about a Hawaiian girl who goes on a magical, environmentally conscious adventure.

And speaking of L., it's his birthday! Happy Birthday, handsome! I wrote him a poem, and that's all he wanted. He doesn't even want to go out. But, he's the birthday chickadee, so he calls the shots. It's so funny how different we are. For my birthday in July I had a list of demands:

1. A French Martini. They only make them at Soho
2. L must draw me a picture
3. Spend all day in Cork city frolicking (closest attraction...)
4. Another drink in my favourite pub, The Corner House
5. Sunshine
6. Adoration
7. Pictures of puppies, baby ducks, and chickadees
8. More adoration

Full moon and sun

2009-09-03T17:14:00.001-07:00

This cosmic inhalation is balanced by an exhalation. This culture values the solar energy of physical action. Work is done in the daylight hours. But without reflection and introspection, action is worth little. Times of darkness or not doing are often seen as frightening, but really the unknown is sacred. In that space we see the truth in reflection and the mystery becomes the gift of wisdom. In the dark we hold onto what we love. Give thanks at the full moon. Ask for something if you need it, and add 'and it harm none.' The darkness is divine, the moon a great goddess. Always speak with your beaming tongue.

Madonna Speaks Out For Gypsy Rights

2009-08-29T08:11:00.000-07:00

Reason #23 why I love Madonna: Read it here. RTE reports that Madonna spoke to the crowd at one of her Bucharest concerts about her sadness about the enormous plight of the Romany-Gypsy people. Although her remark was met with boos she continued to defend her position and the fact that Gypsies deserve equal rights and freedom just like everyone else.

I must say I am extraordinarily touched. Thank you, thank you, from the bottom of my Gypsy heart. This kind of racism has been normalized and encouraged to the point that sometimes I find it is UNSAFE for me to admit that I'm partially Romany-Gypsy. And my full Gypsy brothers and sisters endure hate crimes, murder, and worse all the time, for so long. This must end. Gypsy power! Equal rights and freedom for all! An extraordinarily famous spokesperson is what we need, just as much as we need everyone to speak up in unison for love instead of hate.

Humor and Homocide?

2009-08-26T03:08:00.000-07:00

ETA: possible trigger material, though not particularly explicit, and hopefully helpful.

In the Irish Examiner that is spread out across my in-laws' kitchen table is an article by Suzanne Harrington, "Killer Males Lack a Sense of Humour." I've had a lot of trouble finding it online, which escapes me because it's an excellent piece. I'll do some old-school summarising and quotations. Basically, she says that apparently (according to surveys?) men's greatest fear when it comes to women is that they will be laughed at, whereas women's greatest fear is that men will kill them. Who can blame us? The media is loaded with terrifying incidents for us to draw from. Harrington's problem is that the media offers validating explanations for men who murder women.

"Oh so THAT'S why he locked her in the basement and ate her-- his mummy was mean to him. It's all her fault."

She refers to the incident of a 48 year old man in Pittsburgh who opened fire on an aerobics class, killing three women and injuring nine others because he couldn't get a girlfriend. Not because he's a psycho, but because none of the girls like him any more. What? He said he was frustrated because he wanted a younger girlfriend.

"He raged in blogs that 30 million women-- his estimate of available, desirable women-- rejected him. Not personally, you understand-- he just felt rejected by womankind in general, hence the randomness of his murders. He hadn't had sex in years, or a girlfriend in decades, yet he described himself as not bad looking and not a weirdo. (Apart from the bit when he sprayed a roomful of women with bullets. That's definitely weird, as in insanely homicidally weird."

Harrington goes on to say that, in general, women don't mind if a guy is a bit ugly as long as he has a winning personality. What we really don't like are psychopaths. So what pisses both Harrington and me off is, "his justification (and its faithful reproduction in the media) about how he had so much to offer if only we ungrateful hussies had been more receptive."

What is with this justification? This man did something sick. Not being able to bag a younger woman is no excuse. I think psychology is an important part of the sciences, important in this particular sense because it examines the "motivation" (and I use that word to mean excuse) that a sociopath creates in order to rationalise an otherwise forbidden action, but by no means should it be offered as a reason all neatly wrapped with a Freudian bow by the media. These women died for NO reason. Their deaths defy reason.

It's the same nonsense we hear about all kinds of violence. I was sexually abused repeatedly and consistently for 11 years since the age of 5. My parents and extended family did nothing about it, even though they knew what was happening and I begged them to help me, even though I was molested by my two cousins, Andrew and Amelia Feigenbaum, just feet away from my father, and he did nothing to stop it. Even though it got so bad that the state of NH intervened (incompetently, I might add). When I asked my mother why she let that (and so many other gruesome things that I'll save for the memoir) happen to me, something that nearly ended my life, she said, "I guess it was because I was abused." My father still hasn't given me a real explanation. It took me a long time to admit how bad my family was to me because I was brainwashed into thinking I had no human rights. And I'm not the only one who has been brainwashed. As long as the media is offering up these psychopathic "reasons" as if they are anything more than the ichor leaking from a cruel brain, there is a serious problem.

Human rights come first. There are NO reasons for violence. Having been abused by both men and woman, and knowing that people, are well, people and not particularly different on the basis of gender alone, I would not say that women are not violent. That is simply untrue. But these shooting outbursts are, so far, a male phenomena. Harrington suggests it has to do with the way that women deal with things and men let things stagnate and fester. Festering is ok (not ideal), unless, as Harrington points out, it's a murderous nutjob who is festering. I spoke with a licensed social worker who I greatly respect about the subject of gender and depression, and she told me that women tend to express depression as sadness, whereas men express it through anger. Anger is ok. It's killing that's not ok. I've been angry before and I've never killed anyone, never even considered it. Hell, I was abused and I still haven't killed anyone, and according to some journalists, that gives me plenty of "reasons." And guess what, I never will! Stubbing your toe is not a reason for punching your partner in the face, just like not having a date in 10 years is no reason for opening fire on a class of innocent women.

There is a difference between the subtle workings of the mind and all its seemingly relevant detritus and actual reasons. I'm hungry and I need to eat to nurture my body, so I am going to eat a banana because it will satisfy my hunger, it is a food source, and it has essential vitamins that my body needs in order to thrive. That's a reason for action.

Harrington ends her article with this, "...have you ever heard of a woman murdering random men because she couldn't get a date? No? It's because we don't. We have a laugh about it instead."

Most Powerful Women

2009-08-21T05:11:00.000-07:00

This afternoon I read an article on the 100 Most Powerful Women in the world. Although many of them are big business tycoons I was happy to see activists on there as well. Here's the article. Reading it really buoyed my spirits. I guess after having so many things go "wrong" this year I started to lose hope. But, after reading this article I remembered that all these women started somewhere, and not all of them had a head start.

Some people have said to me recently that most importantly, I have love. That's true. I forgot how really powerful that is. I have love in my marriage, of course, and that is precious. I also have love for myself. With that love, I can do what's best for me, my partner, and then my world. I am applying to graduate school and trusting that the money will be there. I will try to get scholarships, and if that fails, I will do something else. I'm writing a memoir, a novel, and I'm starting my 2nd poetry manuscript. It's what makes me happy, and, pardon me for getting a bit Pagan-religious in this post, but "All acts of love and beauty are in Her name." Maybe the reason why I can't find work at all is because I need to work on these things. Maybe I need to be in Ireland right now. And, I get to spend more time with L than ever, and that is a blessing too. And out of love comes everything worth having.

Also, I have a lot of great ideas for what to do with my money when I have it. I can't say enough about The Rainforest Site. The clicks are great because it's a way to donate money when you're broke, but everything that is sold on that site goes to charity, there are loads of petitions for good causes waiting to be signed, and there are a lot of charities that you can donate to directly, like the Nepalese Youth Opportunity Foundation. It's amazing how $350 can liberate a little girl from a life of indentured servitude and give her an education with school supplies and enough money to support her family. I don't have it now, but when I do, I know where I'm sending it. And I was thinking that even though I don't have anything at the moment, I could probably think of some ways to raise it so I could give it sooner. I should contact the NYOF though so people believe me. It's important to do these things correctly.

All in all, a very thought-provoking afternoon.

Change of Plans

2009-08-11T04:01:00.000-07:00

We planned to move to Scotland because we were so sure that L was going to get this job in Aberdeen-- the company was saying it was a sure thing. And after loads of borrowed money was spent to get him there, he didn't get it after all. And our welfare runs out in a few weeks. And we're in tremendous debt. And this move/job was our cynosure. So now we're stuck in this capsized country wondering what to do next. Any ideas?

Painting

2009-08-08T03:43:00.001-07:00

I saw this in Breaking Grounds in Portsmouth, NH. It reminds me of when I was a child and I would sneak out into the forest at night. Human sounds melted away and only the nocturnal happenings of animals roared through me. The birches looked stark against the other trees and I felt as though at night they were less guarded, less discreet.

Lazy

2009-08-07T05:38:00.001-07:00

Yes, I've been terribly lazy. I prefer to be disciplined but I took a little break. L is away again at the final interview and we will know in a few days what on earth we are doing with our lives.

Small disasters. R and I are coaxing the fridge into working because we can't afford to fix it. Amazing the things you find stuck in refrigerators. Hopefully removing the tea light from the drain pipe did the trick. We watched The Jungle Book because lately we're fond of checking up on our childhoods through Disney movies. I forgot how Mogli was tempted into domesticity at the end by a pretty Indian girl from the village.

I can't help but find the Dolmio commercials incredibly racist... those puppets are bizarre, the accents are atrocious, and the stereotypes are abound. I'm 1/4 Italian too, and I can tell you that no real Italian cooks are cracking open bottles of Dolmio.

There is a musician from Macroom, in Co Cork named Ger Wolfe. Check him out. His music is sweet and he sings with an Irish accent.

This post is the detritus of the past few weeks. All the really important stuff is too top secret to write about. How frustrating.

Annoyed

2009-07-24T18:15:00.000-07:00

Ireland had a wolf-whistling contest. Read here. As someone who has degrading things yelled out the window at her practically every day, I'm disgusted. Wolf-whistling is a symptom of a larger problem of disrespecting and devaluing women. I first learned about this on www.feministing.com. I am so sick of this bullshit. Yes, it's politically incorrect. Pointing that out doesn't make it ok to keep practicing it, or to make a competition out of it. We should be discouraging this ape-like behavior. Not rewarding it.

Village Adventure

2009-07-13T17:18:00.000-07:00

I went to Ballincollig Castle today! B and I trundled across the fields, were chased by really cute puppies, waded through a bog, and stepped over a large dirt pit that felt like walking on chocolate cake. The castle is mostly taken by nature, beer cans, and graffiti, but it's clear it was a rather large castle with great towers and maybe a moat. The cross section of a spiral staircase flashed across the expanse of grass where floors once were laid. Wonderful.

The sidewalks in town were odd today. Gasoline spattered the streets like molten silver. A bird was flattened on the sidewalk, its eyes eaten by ants, the skull crushed and cracked, and the brain bulged out of the open head like an opal glowing strangely in pale sunlight. Two men in a car laughed at a tractor crawling toward them. I brought glass to the recycling plant: my bag ripped open and a bottle shattered on the street. I worried about kids feet. Cleaned up best I could.

Waiting for L to come home to me. England is far away.

Cork has a faux Banksy

2009-07-09T05:43:00.001-07:00

I can't help but capture street art.

Outside

2009-07-09T05:16:00.000-07:00

I haven't written in a few days. That's because I've been trapped in an oneiric smoke for the past week or so. I have been outside in the sun, examining white lilies, hot pink and purple grape hydrangea, myriad roses, straight laced lavender, holly trumpeting with sticky red and yellow flowers, endless plants... and then feeling sunlight reach right into my guts and massage any agony out. Yes, it has been that strange. I know I've eaten, but I don't remember. I know I've slept, but dreams and waking are the same tenor. And I miss it. The blissful fog lifted this morning and I woke up startled to remember that I have things to do, people to write to, arrangements to make, even important forms to submit: it all seemed ridiculous to imagine that there is more to life than being in nature and being happy.

Outside is such an odd idea. I think nature is inside, and the removal from it through homes, schools, and buildings is outside. How could someone be genuine in a classroom or on the sofa? You go in nature to remember that you're an animal, then you feel human, and then you know yourself. It only makes sense.

Sunlight

2009-07-05T11:37:00.001-07:00

Lisp Kiss

2009-07-05T11:35:00.001-07:00

Butterfly face

2009-07-05T10:52:00.001-07:00

ETA: excuse the vanity-- I'm just learning how to use the fancy-phone I got for xmas from my in-laws. Ooooh.

My first international reading!

2009-07-02T13:53:00.000-07:00

Yaay! I'm doing a poetry reading at SoundEye, the Cork Poetry Festival, on July 10th at 9 PM during the not-so-open-mic. If you're in Cork check it out.

I just realized that I do that really annoying thing where I learn certain phrases in French, Italian, Spanish, German, even Balinese and Hawaiian and use them constantly to the point where I sound like some Hamlet-educated polyglot. But in reality I just have a few tricks and a perhaps unconscious need to sound Euro-chic. Cest la vie. I love words.

Ciao

People are Strange When You're a Stranger

2009-07-01T06:51:00.000-07:00

It's true though-- that doesn't mean you don't see the weirdos in your hometown, but when you are somewhere new, life's odd people seems that much more mystical. Like in Ballincollig.

First there is The Rain Woman. She is a tiny, ancient woman who changes her behavior based on the weather. On perfectly dry and sunny days, she waits in alleys for passerby. When the unsuspecting pedestrian approaches her nook she leaps out and shouts, "WAS THAT A DROP OF RAIN JUST THERE!?" When the startled pedestrian says, "No," she then latches on to his or her arm and begins chatting non-stop. "Well I very much hope it won't be an ol' drop o' rain there, tis wet enough already-- I was just telling me brother Jimmy, do you know Jimmy? He's a good lad. Went to the doctor for his liver an' the quack nearly killed him! You don't go to Dr. McGrath now do ye? I certainly hope not! I could take him to court, I should, I know, he gave Jimmy cat vitamins and cheese instead of a blood transfusion. Poor Jimmy with those cat vitamins for days. His eyes turned green! And it's gotten bad since the foreigners came and the priests should really be allowed to marry...." And so on, and so on. The pedestrian is absolutely forced to shake her off by mumbling an apology and ducking into a store lest the madness continue indefinitely. When it *is* raining she ties a cloth shopping bag over her head and waits in the bus stop shelters moaning, "Oh damn this rain!"

Next is The Existential Crisis Minstrel: he is a big, strong looking fellow in his late thirties, often dressed in a red Cork jersey. He is wont to run down the street singing, "We are nothing, We are nothing," with a deep lively voice and a surprisingly chipper tune, grinning away.

Then there is The Outside At All Hours Man: he is a much older man in a long, dirty grey-beige overcoat who wears a little green hat through all seasons and stands on the side of his house practically all day, sometimes smoking but usually staring off into space, never speaking and only going inside to eat, sleep, and use the toilet. L said he saw him cutting the hedge once, but I don't know if that's true. I've never seen him do anything but stand outside, no matter what time we walk past.

I'll add more as I see them. I think three is a good enough introduction to the social scene of this dingy dark hole. There is a problem with the sewers in town so it always smells like 12th century London. That is, it smells like human waste and misery. People never clean up after their puppies either, so not only does it smell like waste, but there is the very real presence of feces strewn all over the streets. Classy. There aren't many police here (I don't think there is a police station... maybe I'm wrong though) and scumbags are forever doing silly things like stabbing each other to death in housing complexes. And then there are the perverts who shout degrading things out the window at me (and probably every other woman). It's amazing.

There are some wonderful people too though. The Italian couple that runs Vino & Panne are so overwhelmingly sweet. They love to make recommendations and get really excited when you enjoy their food or buy the wine that they told you would go well with cheese. They call L and I caro . And then there is the French cheese monger who lets us try all sorts of cheeses and tells us about where they come from and how they're made, and all her dairy adventures in France. She's adorable and kind. And then the people who run Quay Co-op are happy and cheery too, and once gave us free Polski Chleb that fed us for a whole week. So, yes, I complain, but there are spots of magic practically everywhere I've been.

P.S. I'll start adding pictures soon.

Break

2009-06-26T04:30:00.000-07:00

I finally took a break from stressing out about the world of grave events (sometimes reading the newspaper has adverse effects on me!) in the open-sewer of this rough and rotten town Ballincollig and I went to Cork yesterday with L and met up with some truly wonderful friends. We drank leisurely shandies in the unusual warmth and sunlight with Irish people, a Canadian, and even a fellow American from LA in for a visit! They fed us, liquored us up, and gave us some desperately needed craic (craic= Irish for good times, not drugs). Due to being wicked poor, we haven't been out in ages. It was so nice to have a break.

It's a strange feeling, living in someone else's house while they aren't there. It's been so long since L and I have had our own place I forgot what it was like to own one's own spoons and chairs. We've been living out of a suitcase for well over a year. In some ways I think it's good though-- we've discovered how much people care about us because of their amazing generosity by letting us stay in their home and slipping us some $ and food every now and then, and we've also come to really appreciate what it means to have work, a solid income, duvet covers, etc., so when we have those things I think it will feel beautiful. I already feel good without them. When I'm not looking for work or writing, I spend a lot of time outside just looking at the house-owners' garden. A flying ant leaving a chemical trail toward breadcrumbs for its fellows, a rose that burnishes a vibrant carmine that I've only seen in the jungle along the Napali Coast, a bird cracks a snail shell open on a rock wall and feasts. There is overwhelming life in Ireland-- nature here is far gentler than anywhere else I've ever been.

Dreams of the Middle East

2009-06-24T05:46:00.000-07:00

I couldn't sleep last night because I stayed up late watching Al Jazeera to find out more about Iran. It's really terrifying... protesters are being beaten in the streets by police men, people are being arrested just for appearing in videos taken of peaceful rallies, and a woman, Neda Agha Soltan, was shot dead by Basij militia when she stepped out of her car during traffic caused by a protest to get a breath of fresh air. Check out the video here. People have appropriated the 27 year old's beautiful visage as the symbol for the horror inflicted upon innocent civilians.

People in Iran suddenly have no internet access, and police are breaking up groups of people in the street larger than two. All night I tossed and turned, dreaming of the desert and people screaming. I just can't stop thinking about it. I was so distracted that I fell down a whole flight of stairs when I finally gave up the struggle and got up. There are a few things we can do-- write to the Iranian government and tell them they can't get away with this, that other countries are watching them. Write to or go to the Iranian embassies near you and ask why this is happening.

The Culture Excuse

2009-06-23T02:59:00.000-07:00

Perhaps this is a touchy subject but it's something that I feel strongly about: human rights v.s. culture. This has been on my mind particularly against the backdrop of the recent election in Tehran. Iran's new leader Mahmoud Ahmadinejad seems to have been erroneously elected, erroneously in the sense that most of the population appears to have voted for Mir Hussein Moussavi, the candidate with kinder policies with respect to women's equality, peace, and freedom. Mahmoud Ahmadinejad on the other hand is a nuclear weapon toting religious extremist and whackjob extraordinaire. No women's rights under his regime.

Women's rights in the Middle East and Africa are notoriously abominable. But, the excuse for inaction is always, "that's just their culture." Well excuse me, but fuck culture. Women stormed the streets of Tehran after their votes were apparently tossed out, streets that they are not allowed in by law, to protest the loss of their most liberal candidate, the candidate that may have allowed them to be in the company of men they are not related to, to uncover their heads if they wished, and to lead normal lives. That is not culture-- if it were culture they would not be rioting against it. That's oppression. Just like female-genital-mutilation is torture, and stoning a 13 year old girl to death in Africa for "the crime" of being gang-raped is nothing less than barbarism.

Call me ignorant or culturally insensitive, but I'd rather be labeled that way than have no moral center. Wake up, this is not culture. It's abuse.

Something's Rotten in Belfast

2009-06-21T16:11:00.000-07:00

And it appears to be both youthful and old. Lately I've been hearing of so much trouble in the North, just as things seemed to be quieting down. First, those British soldiers were murdered a few months ago, and between then and now reports of attacks and religion-based murders were spattering the pages. This past week, 20 Romanians including a 5 day old baby girl were forced to seek refuge in a church because of racist threats and attacks on their home. So many frightened people were already hiding in safe houses that these people were left with pews and a floor for sanctuary. It turned out to be a group of teenagers harassing them! They were so traumatized that they want to return to their less-prosperous lives in Romania, despite the neighborhood's efforts to convince them to stay. And today an open-top tourist bus was stoned by a group of violent youngsters! Luckily no one was hurt as the bus wound its way past the famous Republican and Loyalist murals.

I'm afraid that the recession and general tension in the Republic of Ireland is also inciting some violence and racism-- "foreigners" are blamed for much of it, which, let me tell you is an uncomfortable thing when you're an expat.

Northern Ireland, though always more dangerous, seems especially active now. While Protestant/Catholic and Loyalist/Republican relations in the North are a notoriously old and violent issue, these other attacks are relatively new. I wonder if the strain of the economy is doing the same in the North? Or is it something much darker? Either way, it's sad to see an area that has already so much pain and blood in its soil experience even more.

By Boat, Chantarelle's Notebook

2009-06-20T10:43:00.000-07:00

My poem, "By Boat," was just accepted for issue 17 of Chantarelle's Notebook. Thanks editors! You can check it out in August.

Yaay

Colonization

2009-06-20T02:44:00.001-07:00

I was reading The New Yorker this morning and noticed an article on Equatorial Guinea. Apparently, it's the only country in the world resistant to recession at the moment due to the fact that it's a giant oil pit. It's the only former Spanish colony in Africa, and an absolutely tiny, martial-law, country with less than a million people. The reason the article stuck out to me so much is because a few weeks ago I was reading the Forbes "most dangerous countries" list (Somalia #1) and practically all of them were former colonies-- and the number 1 most "oh my god I'll never go there!" country was a former British colony. Well, we all know how those turn out. A country is raped for its resources, people are pitted against each other and exploited by the foreign power, then the power takes off and the country is left in social, governmental, and environmental ruin. If it weren't for the pot of dinosaur soup under E.G., they would be in crisis too.

But all is not well in Paradise. The country was taken control of by Teodoro Obiang Nguema thirty years ago in a coup, and apparently is constantly under threat of more seizures, including a past one by a British Eton-graduate named Simon Man, now in prison. The country is also rife with human rights infringements and the like... so it's not such an unusual former colony after all.

It's amazing how history repeats itself. Pakistan and India, Somalia and Rwanda... countries destroyed by the fat man's want for more.

Hors de Prix

2009-06-19T08:38:00.000-07:00

Last night I saw a film called Hors de Prix, or in English it would be called Priceless. It was basically a slightly better than average French chick flick. Perhaps because it was in French it seemed better than usual, but I really enjoyed it, possibly because it was one of those films that manages to make high-class prostitution look amusing and a decent albeit bizarre way to earn a living. I honestly think that Audrey Tautou is the new Audrey Hepburn. Just as dazzling, graceful, and endearing. The film was an awful lot like Breakfast at Tiffany's too.

Our street is full of trees with dark red leaves. There is little to do and I'm not sure where we're going next. Scotland is a new possibility. I think if it were warmer outside I wouldn't be so restless. Everything seems to have a terrible price lately-- food, compromises, entertainment. There is a Swap Shop in town where the barter system is the way forward. In the current depression Ireland has embraced Socialism, which is fine with me. Better than the way Britain has embraced Fascism.

Chandelier

As the bulbs burn out
one by one in the broken
chandelier, the cloth
wallet curls its lips,
our socks gather holes
like new lovers embracing
and unraveling, and I feel
guilty eating between meals.

praying on red rugs

2009-06-16T16:13:00.000-07:00

This is one of my favourite poems ever. It's by Adonis, translated from Arabic by Khaled Mattawa, and it appeared in the New Yorker a few years ago. Absolutely enchanting.

Celebrating Childhood

Even the wind wishes
to become a cart
pulled by butterflies.

I remember madness:
leaning for the first time
on the mind’s pillow,
I was talking to my body.

My body was an idea
I wrote in red.

Red was the sun’s most beautiful throne
and all the other colors
prayed on red rugs.

Night is another candle.

In every branch an arm,
a message carried in space,
echoed by the body of the wind.

The sun insists on dressing itself in fog
when it meets me:
am I being scolded by the light?

Oh, my past days,
they used to walk in their sleep
and I used to lean on them.

Love and dreams are two parentheses.
Between them I place my body
and discover the world.

Many times
I saw the air fly with two grass feet
and the road dance with feet made of air.

My wishes are flowers
staining my body.

I was wounded early,
and early I learned
that wounds made me.

I still follow the child
who walks inside me.

Now he stands at a stairway made of light
searching for a corner to rest in,
and to read the face of night.

If the moon were a house,
my feet would refuse to touch its doorstep.
They are taken by dust
carrying me to the air of seasons.

I walk,
one hand in the air,
the other in dreams.

A star is also
a pebble in the fields of space.

He alone
who is joined to the horizon
can build new roads.

What shall I say to the body I abandoned
in the rubble of the house
in which I was born?
No one can narrate my childhood
except those stars that flicker above it
and leave footprints
on the evening’s path.

My childhood is still
being born in the cupped palms of a light
whose name I do not know
and who names me.

Out of that river he made a mirror
and asked it about his sorrow.
He made rain out of his grief
and imitated the clouds.

Your childhood was a village.
You will never cross its boundaries
no matter how far you go.
His days are lakes,
his memories floating bodies.

You who are descending
from the mountains of the past,
how can you climb them again,
and why?

Time is a door
I cannot open.
My magic is worn,
my chants asleep.

I was born in a village,
small and secretive like a womb.
I never left it.
I love the ocean, not the shores.

Big Toe Review, "Mutiny"

2009-06-16T11:04:00.000-07:00

One of my flash pieces, "Mutiny," came out today in Big Toe Review. Read it here, if you like! More of my work should be trickling through that particular journal in the next few months. It's a groovy publication, definitely worth reading.

Today I luxuriated in the backyard sunlight, then in bed. We were contemplating a walk but it's raining now. Big surprise. Actually the big surprise was rushing to answer the door in my bikini and getting the ESB man a little too excited. I thought it was Len back from his piano lesson. Whoops....

First Book

2009-06-15T05:21:00.000-07:00

Yaay! I finished The White Caravan for real this time and sent it to Autumn House Press this morning. I first wrote TWC as my honors thesis, but I've been writing loads of new stuff since and I finally created the book that I actually wanted to write. I cut a lot of old stuff out, put a lot of new stuff in, and now I have 53 pages worth of poetry. Now it's just a matter of a publisher liking it.

In a lot of ways I'm appreciating this amazingly long stint of unemployment and abject poverty. If I weren't unemployed, or if I had enough money to go to grad school, maybe I wouldn't have had the free time to write my first book during my first year out of college. The economy works in mysterious ways....

Plus, the volunteer agency got back to me and I have my first day of training down a dodgy alley beside my favourite pub on Wednesday. Talk about luck! I'm so excited.

Going around Cork by myself is something I haven't done since my UCC days (see Free Stylin') and I have a few rules to keep myself in check now:

1. Ireland apparently cannot handle any glimpse of my clevage or thighs. Dress modestly, no matter how difficult it is or how unaccommodating my wardrobe might be.

2. No going down dodgy alley ways with strangers unless it's for my volunteer training.

3. No interacting with hairdressing students, or possibly students of any kind (just to be on the safe side.)

4. Always wear enormous sunglasses.

5. Remember which way the cars are coming. The opposite of America.

6. Only buy hot port at The Corner House.

All very important rules. It shocks me though, the first one. I forget the way predominantly Catholic countries can be. No offense to Catholicism, but skin is not dealt with so well in places like Ireland, Italy, etc. I'd say especially Ireland. I forget this constantly. And then I get really dirty things screamed at me out of windows for wearing something that in the States would get a "Nice dress, beautiful," at best. Normally I'm a great traveller and can blend in everywhere, but it's hard when you've actually moved to a new place and have to change things in a more permanent way. When in Cork....

Topiary

2009-06-12T08:48:00.000-07:00

Yesterday I was gardening in the yard of the house we are taking care of, and I noticed I let the spiral & sphere topiary garden go to seed. So out came the blunt, rusted garden shears and I was cutting away, trying desperately not to destroy the unnatural shapes they were teased into in the first place. As I was hacking I got to thinking who says things have to be this way? I was feeling guilty slashing away at the plant's progress, ruling that it had to grow this way and not that. People get that sort of training all the time and it is maddening-- the impossibilty of standards are always begin thrown at us through commercials and publications. Isn't airbrushing a photo of a bikini-clad woman in a magazine the same thing? No, your thighs can't touch. I don't care if it's unnatural. And the more I snipped the more I began thinking about the ways I "snip" myself. Shaving my bikini line, hiding my split ends with copious amounts of sesame oil, even spending a few hours baking topless in the back garden's sunlight. None of these things are good for me-- they don't improve my health. Shaving gives me cuts and upset follicles, the ends of my hair are dead anyway, and tanning is just a step toward skin cancer. I mean, I'm dark enough naturally, and who really gives a damn how copper my skin can be?

The first time I went to Paris I was 17 and shocked to see the very strict grooming that nature received. The trees in the Jardin des Tuileries are chiseled into leafy boxes so the air is filled with these symmetrical building blocks stuck on the end of a long trunk. Conversely, the metro signs are wrought from tendrils of iron curling around art nouveau letters like grape vines. Art mimicking nature and nature mimicking art. Bizarre, I thought. But now I see it as a straight-forward admittance of human nature: to dominate nature completely, even the nature of the self.

I'm not sure this is healthy all the time. Actually, I feel comfortable saying that most of the time it's not healthy at all. The topiary is finished, but I am still thinking.

Free Stylin'

2009-06-10T14:27:00.001-07:00

Today I went on an adventure. One of the things that happens when you're married to your soulmate is that you become inseparable. But after a whole year of being unemployed and together 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, I began to wonder if I could still be independent. I am independent in thought and practice: I do what I like and L and I pursue our own interests and are our own people. That's healthy. But we practically never go anywhere without each other, which is lovely & romantic bliss, but maybe not so normal? Like, I haven't walked down a street alone in ages. Until today.

We had to take a bus into Cork city to sort out some paperwork. When we got to the Social Welfare Office, the dole ques were epic, as usual and as frequently photographed in the local paper. My back was aching from who-knows-what and standing in line outside in the chilly, pissy excuse for a summer's day was just not exciting. So I said, "Chickadee-face [L], I'm going on a walk!" And off I went.

The day seemed fine and the city was quiet because practically the whole city is unemployed and was standing in line with L. I walked happily down Washington St. and noticed the Hindu goddesses in the Indian food restaurant had little bras on over their normally bare breasts. Next, I swung onto Grand Parade where I was almost hit by a car on that tricky corner, as per usual. Then I made it onto the Champs-Élysées of Cork, St. Patrick's St. There I was met my a tiny woman in 80's garb asking me to please be her hair model for her hairdressing class. A free hairstyle before breakfast, oh boy! And she looked like she needed help. I mean, she was asking people in the street before 10 AM. So I good naturedly said, "Oui."

She said it would take less than an hour. Ok. So I followed her down an alley way and into an unmarked building and off we went! A couple of students and their subjects were milling around inside, and while my hair was being lathered up and rinsed (oh, I love that part), we made small talk. I think my hair made her nervous because I haven't had a haircut in 10 months. Soon I was in the chair and she was inserting enormous roller-brushes in my waist-long mop with the desert-air blasts from her blow-torch hairdryer. Except the brushes were too small for my hair's length and they all got stuck. I should really say they all got tangled except for the last brush at the back of my head which really, really got stuck. 3 hairdressers and 30 minutes of pulling, ripping, and stabbing my hair with a long needle finally wrested the rogue brush disporting among my heavily hairsprayed tresses. Agony is the word. I'm tough. I can deal with a lot of pain. But after 20 minutes I was asking them to give up and shave my head. 10 minutes later than I thought I could have lasted, I was finally free.

The best part, you ask? Well, I was free, and L was nowhere to be found. Our wires crossed when I used my last euro coin to tell him I would meet him and the S.W.O., but when I got there, he was nowhere and they were closed. He was looking for me on Patrick's St., but I was convinced he was abducted by donkey-ninjas. After a few hours of frantically racing around Cork I finally resorted to begging strangers for change so I could try to ring the phone we've been sharing and locate him. Stuck in a city in a foreign country with no phone, no money, no house key, no way home, and no husband. Panic. Finally, around 1 pm he got my voicemail and we were reunited, and I was ready for a sedative.

I'll just be independent in other, less autonomous, ways tomorrow.

Mystery Box Contest

2009-06-09T13:52:00.000-07:00

There is this groovy contest held by Poemeleon that requires you to write a poem about a box for the prize of publication and said box. If you would be so kind, check out the site and vote for my poem, "A Woman of Several Boxes" at Poemeleon: The Blog. And if you feel so inspired, write one yourself! I enjoyed the challenge....

Dreams and the stuff of dreaming

2009-06-09T11:57:00.000-07:00

This morning I woke up too early after a dream about elephants painted with daisies. Then there was a carnivorous mouse who was inclined to gnaw my leg off, and then a mouse meditating with a tiny elephant in the palm of his hand, also meditating, with a lotus lei. Then the dream opened into a glen with a circle of quacking ducks gathered around a glowing wonder. I thought, excellent, I'll have more of this! and I promptly went back to sleep. Next I had horrific nightmares and I woke up screaming. Moral of story: Greed should not be left in the misdirected hands of the subconscious. Only art and love can be trusted.

The day is gloomy with cold rain and many grey houses with dirty-dark roofs. We went to the only real Italian restaurant in town, Bacco, but even candle light seemed uninspired. I could hardly eat-- I feel full to the brim with something. Plus now that we're flirting with poverty it seems stressful to go out to eat, even if it is only once in a great while. The music in the dining room sounded like something that would play in a speak easy-- it seemed to have been taken directly from the 1920's and layered over the present rather than occurring at the same time. My great grandfather ran a speak easy when he lost his job at the shoe factory. He was an Italian immigrant making the most out of a bad situation. I don't imagine it was a grand establishment though. He sold eggs as well on the side.

This town is a picture of the recession. A whole quarter of it is empty: shops, apartments, would-be-pubs and cafes, all empty. It's like a ghost town, except in a European suburb, which is an odd thing in itself. The library is in an otherwise abandoned building. There is still no inkling of a job for either of us, so I'm going to do what I should have done ages ago and volunteer somewhere. It wouldn't be a bad idea to talk to some new people either. It's not much of adventure if I spend most of my time going on solitary nature walks or reading and writing for hours alone. It's only because there isn't much to do here, so it's easy to get sucked into isolation.

Although, I did do something which is not social or productive, but unusual for me nonetheless: watching TV. Channel 2 plays Sabrina the Teenage Witch reruns and it cracks me up. I remember watching it when I was 10 or so and loving it, and looking back it's so amazingly cheesy that I love watching it just as much when I'm 22, just in a slightly different way. Plus, I think it's my small way of reconnecting with the States without dropping my "r"s and going to roadside diners. Speaking of which, I really miss roadside Americana. Although roadside Hibernia is starting to amuse me in similar ways: traffic stops for herds of sheep, or because two passing bus drivers want to know "How's Mary doing? Did you see her last Friday at the pub?," and signs like "This is the birthplace of the Wild Colonial Boy" or "Caitlin the Red Headed Seal, next right."

Travel is fun.

In the Rhododendron

2009-06-08T02:57:00.000-07:00

Yesterday I drank too much orange juice upon waking and went to Cobh with my husband, L, to visit his mom, B. Whenever we go to that strange island certain events transpire and I seem to absorb the old Pagan belief that places that are betwixt and between have a veil too easy to slip through to the other world. Places of two elements, like islands, bogs, springs, caves, very high mountains, etc. Anyway, I ended up in a forest just outside of B's fields that had been ruthlessly slashed to put in a telephone mast. The odd thing is that Ireland's forest protection agency sold the protected several hundred year old forest to the telephone company... fishy business. The company obviously destroyed far more of the forest than they needed because the trees look as though they they were cleared more or less at random. They never replanted the extra trees that were killed, so instead there is now a dense undergrowth of gorse, briers, and oddly enough many blooming rhododendrons. L and his mother went up ahead when suddenly I didn't feel like fighting my way through thorns and garbage to see more destruction. I decided to crawl under a nearby rhododendron and wait for them to return. Many leaves and petals had fallen on the rust-coloured earth: green and purple. They were so bright they seemed to shock my retinas, and I had to look away after many startling minutes. An arm reached out toward me that turned out to be a branch, and obligingly, I took it and began a slow tango. Dip, twirl, spin, this tree could do it all and very well considering it is a tree. When L and B returned, I promptly stopped dancing. L had two rhododendron stamens on the back of his t-shirt. It's difficult to explain to people that the tree wanted to dance while caught in the act, though much easier in writing, so I avoided it all together. I realized at that moment though that it is absolutely impossible to forget certain things. If someone experiences something lucidly enough, that memory is burned into a part of the brain. The mere act of recognizing something as salient means that you are aware of it, and if you can recall awareness it is impossible not to recall the event. Or so it seems. So now I'm recognizing awareness as often as I can, but it is exhausting to be so aware.

Let us go then, you and I

2009-06-06T10:28:00.000-07:00

Hello--

I'm new to this. I suppose I will tell a bit about myself. I'm a poet and a traveler living in Ireland at the moment, but I come from New Hampshire, USA. I started publishing this year, and so far my work has appeared in Cargoes (the journal of my alma mater, Hollins University) and Amaze, and is forthcoming in Ribbons, Frogpond, Big Toe Review, and The 13th Warrior. I decided to have a blog adventure-- I feel like I'm missing out on a lot of interesting people's thoughts by avoiding this kind of e-banter, and I hate to miss out. Also, I think my life naturally unfolds like a mescaline explosion, and it will be fun to write it down. Anyway, welcome to my blog, readers. It will be strange.